Echo
by La'Rae and Ninjas Incorporated
Summary: When all is said and done, what wouldn't one do to save the ones they love? And when the vicious cycle starts, it cannot be undone. Shout or whisper, all that remains is their echoes in the wind. OC SI AU
1. Chapter 1

" _I wanted to tell her that I loved her, and not in the complicated way I loved our parents, but in a simple way I never had to think about. I loved her like breathing."_ _ **~Brenna Yovanoff, The Replacement**_

 **.1**

From the moment she opened her eyes, with first sight and exposure she knew. Knew that she was doomed. First breath and onwards, from the very beginning, she knew this couldn't end well. How could it? Not when she knew. She shouldn't have even been born in the first place. So why? At the moment she couldn't tell you, the answer was not yet definitive.

Kano Hibiki was an anomaly. She had resigned herself to this fact long ago. Accepted the cold hard truth that she never could have avoided any of this and simply moved on. Hibiki was never going to be like anyone her age, she'd never had the option.

Because she knew, from the very beginning she knew. That she didn't stand a chance, that none of them stood a chance. The cards had been stack against her and had surrounded her by those who would eventually become the parents of a generation who would one day fight gods and win.

If she let it get that far.

She wanted to prevent most of that from happening. All of it she could, because she knew how much suffering those she'd come to love would face and she didn't want that for them. Why else had she been given this second chance at life with all her memories intact? If not to save them.

She was anomaly, one who had lived a life before this. Reincarnation was real, very painfully real. As a reincarnate with all their past lives memories intact, Hibiki could attest to this. Although this could have been some glitch in the matrix, however that was highly unlikely and begrudgingly she accepted it. So she resigned herself to the facts, she was doomed.

No amount of dreaming would change that.

Suddenly she is drawn from her thoughts, there is a hand waving in her face and the girl is confronted with the fact that she'd been caught. Spacing out that is. "Neh are you even listening to me!" No she wasn't, hadn't been for the last five minutes. But she couldn't very well say that. The red headed teen in front of her would be livid.

"I'm sorry Shina, I am a little distracted today." Kushina huffed at the younger girl before plopping down next to her, taking a small brush from her pack. Hibiki moved instinctually to sit in front of the red head.

The calm flow of the bristles running through her long hair calmed her and stilled her thoughts for the moment. Kushina began again with what she had been saying. They sat there together quietly talking amongst themselves for some time, the older girl taking care of the younger. A usual occurrence for the teen and her pre-teen companion.

Uzumaki Kushina loved the orphan girl, she was the first friend she'd made upon her arrival to the village. They had both been wards to the late Uzumaki Mito. She knew the younger girl better than anyone else, she knew that there was more to the dark haired girl than anyone ever realized. A strength to her that not many got to see.

That was mostly due to the younger girls own nature. Hibiki was very withdrawn from the world around them, she kept mostly to herself. Quiet, calm, and calculating were words used often to define the young chunin a complete opposite from how people usually describe the Uzuamaki girl she was almost always with. Kushina will admit, they were indeed an odd pair of friends. But it didn't matter. Too either of them.

"This seems fun." A smile took over Kushina's face as she looked up from where she had been braiding. Uchiha Mikoto was a reluctant friend at first, and if they thought the duo was odd they received even more looks when it became a trio.

The rumored fiancé of the next Uchiha Clan head sat down in the grass across from the other two girls. Setting down a small basket of fruit between them. Despite Kushina's protest Hibiki leaned forward taking an orange from the basket. "Thank you Miko." Mikoto nodded her head before turning her eyes on Kushina.

"I heard a rumor about you and a certain blonde." The Uchiha began, and the red headed teen tensed slightly at her friends coy tone. Hibiki half turned to look curiously at Kushina then.

"A rumor?" Hibiki question, tone curious eyes filled with innocence. Kushina knew she wouldn't be able to deny that girl anything.

"I'm going on a date with Minato-kun." She admitted, her face flushed red as she did so. Hibiki to no surprise simply nodded her head before turning back to face Mikoto so Kushina could finish her hair. Kushina raised a brow at the back of her head.

"That's it, seriously." The sarcastic tone was not lost on the pre-teen. Or the half whine in Kushina's voice.

"Yes." Mikoto stifle a laugh as Kushina groaned in exasperation. She tied off the braid, Hibiki scooted over, her hands made move to feel whatever Kushina had done to her hair. It was satisfactory.

"Thank you." Kushina nodded her head and watched as Hibiki easily tore off the pealing of the fruit in her hand.

"So where are you going?" Mikoto questioned once both of them had settled themselves. She was not about to let the matter go. The red haired teen groaned, albeit dramatically.

"Minato-kun said something about a new ramen stand." A small giggle escaped Hibiki's lips and suddenly she had two pair of eyes on her.

"Care to share with the class?" She simply grinned at Mikoto's question before shaking her head.

"Apparently the way to Kushina's heart is through her stomach." Hibiki muttered dryly after a second thought. She was soon after tackled to the ground by said girl. All three girls were laughing.

The afternoon of joyous laughter came to an end, each girl going their own way. Mikoto to get some training in, Kushina to meet up with the aforementioned blonde and Hibiki she went the long way home.

"Onee-chan!" A bright smile overtook her face at the cheerful childish voice. The child crashed into her legs and she could hear his exasperated grandmother calling out to him. She bent down too ruffle his hair.

"Hi Obi-chan." The boy no older the three smiled up at her. It gave her a bright feeling. She picked him up, standing up straight, letting him sit on her hip. He told her all about his day. About the sweets he helped the old woman make, about the little girl he met at the park, everything. And she listened, with a smile on her face, happy to hear it.

She gave a smile to his grandmother once they'd made it to the front door. The kind old woman returned the look. "Good evening Hibiki-chan. Are you going to be joining us for dinner?" Obito squirmed his way out of her arms to dart inside the house to retrieve something. The only reason she knew that was because he said so as he ran inside.

"Afraid not tonight, there is this pesky mission report I really need to write." The old woman laughed.

"I see, well maybe another night this week. Thank you for bringing Obito to the door." She nodded her head.

"No problem, seeing as I was the reason he'd strayed from the yard." Which was true as soon as he spotted her he had taken off in her direction. As he did every time she took this route home. The woman didn't comment and Obito came out from the house carrying a piece of paper.

"I made this for you." His smile is radiant, infectious. It eats at her from the inside, she can't help but to smile too when he's around her.

He held it up too her, and she took it carefully. Treating what was a clearly the artwork of a child like a treasure. She dipped her head down and laid a soft kiss to his forehead. "Thank you Obi-chan, I'm going to hang it up in my apartment." His face flushed lightly.

"Onee-chan, gross." He tried to wipe her kiss off his forehead. It received a laugh from both the young konouchi and his grandmother.

Even though she didn't stay for dinner, Uchiha Atsuko had given her a very full bento before she went on her way. "To eat while you work." Atsuko had insisted. The woman's kindness knew no bounds. Especially to those who cared for her grandson. Hibiki left the two with a very full heart.

She glanced back once just before the small house would be out of view, Obito was in his grandmother's arms still smiling. Their eyes met and he gave a small wave before he was carried into the house. Hibiki smiled, before facing forward again a sad smile took over her feature. Suddenly her full heart was now very heavy. A single tear ran down the length of her cheek. It was a painful reminder of an unavoidable truth.

The question she'd asked herself that very morning came rushing back to her then.

So why? Why did she try so hard? When asked, because eventually they would. She'd blame it on his eyes. His stupid oblivious eyes. Or maybe his infectious smile. Or a million other things all involving that boy. That naive, cheerful, clumsy little boy.

She gave a sigh. There was no use dwelling on that now. It was far too late for it to matter anyhow. She promised, promised that she'd look after him. That she'd protect him. Even if the whole deck was stack against, even if it hurt. Hibiki would protect him. To the best of her abilities.

Because that's what older sisters did right? Protect their younger sibling, and she was his sister in all but name. She never stood a chance.

Uchiha Obito was going to be her undoing.

 **XOXOX**

 **Yes I know I'm supposed to be writing for PoC, I know.. But I had this idea and I just had to roll with it. This is going to be lighter than PoC. It's not going to be anywhere near as dark as I've planned for PoC to become/already is. I promise!**

 **So disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, I have never owned Naruto, I will never own Naruto.**

 **Now that that is out of they way. Thank you so much for reading this chapter, please let me know what you think!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	2. Chapter 2

" _Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides."_ **~Lao Tzu**

 **.2**

The first loss is the hardest. It's the one you lose when you have no control, when control is taken from you. Death is finite. It comes and it takes, and takes, and takes until there is nothing left to give. Death is relentless, a fact of all life. You live and you die. End of discussion. But your first exposure to such a concept, the one in which you realize you never had control in the first place is the hardest.

For Hibiki that exposure comes earlier than most experience. Her first experience with the matron Death in this body is when her mother dies. A strong capable woman, a woman who raised her to be strong and capable. Kano Moriko was a special woman. One death had not been kind too.

It was hard for the girl to believe that it had been almost eight years since then. Eight long years without her mother.

She never met her father, he died before she was born. War was a terrible thing. It took, and took and it never gave back. So many lives lost for the sake of war, so much time just gone. Hibiki hated it.

Her fingers traced absent mindedly over the etched kanji on the stone. Both of her parent's name were here. She figured her own name at some point would probably join them. The morbid though caused her to drop her hand, it fell numbly at her side. Now was not the time for that.

Today was a very important day, and she couldn't let those sort of thoughts ruin it.

Obito was starting Academy today. Technically today was the entrance ceremony but Hibiki let the technicalities go.

This day marked the beginning of the end. Hibiki shook that thought away as she turned her back to the stone. Today there could be no misgivings or negative thoughts. She had to be positive. Obito wasn't really giving the opportunity not to be.

She pulled herself from the stone and headed towards the direction of the tower. There was an entrance ceremony to attend.

When she arrived Obito caught her eye almost instantly as if he had been looking for her. She gave him a small smile and a wave as she settled next to his grandmother. Atsuko gave the much younger girl a knowing look before turning her proud smile to her grandson.

Today was a happy occasion, Obito while his path was dangerous, was one step closer to his newly acquired dream. He wanted to be Hokage. Hibiki had yet to get the story out of him on how he had decided that. She was certain it would at least be entertaining.

As the ceremony drew to a close, once the Hokage had finished speaking. The chunin found herself the subject of attention for a brief moment when once again Obito crashed into her legs. She did refrain from picking him up this time, instead settle for ruffling his already messy hair.

"Hey Obi-chan." The now five year old protested at the name, but Hibiki didn't let it bother her. Obito would always be Obi-chan. No matter how old he got. Atsuko stifled her own laughter at the sight, watching the two interact while usually adorable was also very entertaining.

"Rin-chan, you 'member my nee-chan and my oba-san?" Hibiki peered curiously down at the small brunette girl, she had the vaguest memory of meeting the civilian born girl at the park once when she was watching Obito. But that had been over a year ago.

Rin nodded her head before dipping into a small bow. "Hello Kano-san, Uchiha-sama." A cheerful smile on her face. That was it, she was adorable. It seemed that Atsuko shared the sentiment.

"Hello Rin-chan, are you excited to be starting classes?" The kind old woman questioned.

The small girl nodded her head with great enthusiasm, she could see why the two were friends. "Yes ma'am. I can't wait." Atsuko gave the child a kind smile, it didn't reach her eyes. Only Hibiki noticed this, only she saw the sad look the lingered in the old woman's eyes. Because she knew something they didn't. A secret she'd never tell.

War, was far from over.

"That's wonderful, well I believe your teachers are calling you. Best be on your way." Obito threw his arms around the elderly woman's neck before running off, Rin hot on his heels. She did give a small wave over her shoulder as they went.

Hibiki watched them go, a pang in her heart.

"Dinner tonight." The Uchiha informed the young konouchi. It hadn't been a question, Atsuko hadn't asked. Hibiki hid the roll of her eyes and nodded her head.

"Yes ma'am." She echoed the little girl a half smirk upon her face. They'd get to hear about Obito's first day, although it would only be a half day, she didn't want to miss it.

"Good." Atsuko turned and walked away from the girl. She had a meal to prepare for.

Hibiki stood there for a moment longer, long enough to see a head of silver being shuffled inside along with all the other genin hopefuls. A small frown formed. He'd only be here a year before the village would pull him out and throw him to the wolves.

That wasn't okay with her.

Something to think over.

She stuffs her hands in the pockets of her vest before walking away. Kushina wanted to meet up with her to get lunch. It been a while since they'd seen one another. Hibiki had been in and out of the village the last few months gathering intelligence. Even with the second war over they couldn't afford to lose their advantages.

Information was power. The village Hidden in the Leaves had some of the best infiltration and intelligence agents in the whole elemental nations. Hibiki happened to be one of them.

In her last life she'd been a programmer, it was partially why this was so easy for her now. She intercepted messages sent between villages and decoded them. Which meant that right now she spent a lot of time out of the village and stuck at various boarder post.

She hoped that at some point they'd stick her back behind a desk, and that she could just decode. This was getting old really quick. The more time she spent out of the village the less time she got to see her friends, the less she got to spent with Obito, and the chance for death to reclaim her only grew the longer she spent in the field.

There were too many things to do, she didn't have time to be worried about dying. Again.

Quietly she slipped into the small tea house, her preferred lunch spot, and was met by a very enthusiastic tackle. Er she meant hug. "Hibi! You made it!" She smiled softly at the red head.

She really loved the red head.

"Hello Shina, you are causing a scene." Kushina pouted at the younger girls deadpan voice. She dropped her arms from around Hibiki's neck.

"You're no fun." They are led to a table in the back of the room, one that is conveniently close to a window and one exist. Thank the stars for Shinobi catered tea houses.

"I invited Mikoto, she said she'd come if she can get away from wedding planning." Hibiki nodded her head, taking a sip of her tea then. So it was finally happening then. Mikoto was getting married at barely seventeen.

Everything was slowly slotting into place around her. Time seemed to be running out. All of their days were numbered. She clutched the glass so hard that is broke under the pressure shattering, glass and liquid cover her hand and the table.

Her eyes wide, she hadn't meant for that to happen. The glass was replaced, tea cleaned up, and everything returned the way it should be within moments. Noting that china breaking was a rather normal occurrence and the staff here were very used to it.

Kushina gave her a concerned look. "Hibiki, are you okay?" The girl gave a demure nod of her head. Everything was fine, there was still time left, no one was dead or injured yet she could still save them. Right?

"Sorry. I'm thinking too hard." Kushina's brow rose, for some reason she got the idea that that wasn't the whole story.

"About Mikoto's wedding? Because even she hasn't broken anything over it yet." This time Hibiki shook her head. Mikoto getting married really wasn't a big concern for her, she had too at some point. But she could probably spin something else that Kushina would believe, and maybe even help her with.

"Obito started the academy today, I'm worried." The Uzumaki teen's expression soften then. She knew how much her friend worried over that little boy and while it didn't always make sense, Hibiki would do anything for him. He was basically her little brother.

Before she could give her reassurance the dark haired girl added this. "I saw sensei's son today too, he's starting early I think." Kushina had heard rumors, that the Hatake heir was a prodigy. Mostly from Minato who had been asked to start mentoring the boy a while back.

There was a certain look in Hibiki's eyes when she mentioned this, one that didn't sit well on her face. She was extremely bothered. It was easy to read. The situation bothered her, which meant there was something more she wasn't saying. Kushina sighed. If Hibiki didn't want to talk about, she wouldn't.

"I'm sure everything will be okay, besides they have you looking after them." Kushina tried to be positive, knowing that's what her friend needed. But there was something in the younger girl's expression that was just giving her a bad feeling.

It almost seemed like she was hiding something. As much as Kushina didn't like it. They all had their secrets.

"Yeah, maybe." Hibiki wanted to believe Kushina, she wanted to think that it would be enough. Truly she did. But she knew. Which made believing so much harder.

Today was supposed to be a good day. A positive day, but it had turned dark. The rain clouds had settled in on her mind. Hibiki couldn't out run this either, because she knew.

And the knowing, the knowing clouded everything.

 **XOXOX**

 **I promise it is not going to be this deep all the time, I swear this will be lighter than PoC. But it has to get to that point. There are some things that Hibiki has to work through before it can be lighter. So while it want be near as dark as PoC there will be moments that are deep. Moments that have to happen.**

 **On another note, yes I will try to incorporate more humor into this story. But it won't be forced. I want the humor to come naturally. So please bear with me and give it time.**

 **Thank you so much for you kind words!**

 **Please continue to let me know what you think, I love hearing from you guys!**

 **Thank you for reading:D**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	3. Chapter 3

" _They say that war is death's best friend, but I must offer you a different point of view on that one. To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thin, incessantly: 'Get it done, get it done.' So you work harder. You get the job done. The boss, however, does not thank you. He asks for more."_ **~Markus Zusak, The Book Theif**

 **.3**

She thinks, that the thing she hated most of war, was the aftermath. The destruction left in its wake, the lives lost. The second war had ended almost three years ago now. They were still suffering from the aftermath of it. For this brief time there was what could vaguely be called peace. There difference settle and put aside for the time. It wouldn't last, she thought bitterly.

With all the repercussion of such destruction it seemed like she was getting her wish. Desk work.

Although at this particular moment, Hibiki really wanted to be somewhere else. Especially if what she was looking at was what she thought it was. It would only end badly.

Yamanaka Inoichi, her former genin teammate and a sometimes reluctant friend was glancing at her from the side of his eye. Hibiki was half certain that at the moment the Yamanaka clan head was undergoing a very stealthy takeover of the department they both worked for. Shouldn't he be focusing on that instead of whatever it was that he was currently doing?

She set down the pen she had been holding, taking her eyes off of the file that had offended her she looks over at him with a highly unamused expression. In a very sarcastic tone said this. "A picture will last longer." Inoichi turns his full attention on her then, his expression serious.

It was still early in the morning, only a few people were in the office. He'd been watching her think for a few minutes, trying to piece something together. They'd been teammates at one point he knew when she was thinking. The look on her face when he had walked in was what had caused him to do in the first place. Hibiki had seemed disturbed. He was also pretty sure she hadn't gone home last night.

"You've been glaring at that file for ten minutes." His tone is casual, but Hibiki knows him and she is far from fooled. There wasn't anything casual about that remark.

But he wasn't wrong. She had been staring at said file for longer than she usually would. The teen had been given the task of going through personnel files and updating them. It was boring mundane work, beneath her actual skill level and usually she found it enjoyable. That wasn't the case today. Everything would have been fine if she hadn't found a high level mission request in the mix.

A mission request that had the potential to ruin someone's life. Someone who she cared about.

"Take a look at this." She finally decided and handed over the file to Inoichi. He needed to see this.

"That's not a personnel file." He mutters while reading over it. The right thing would have been to ignore it and send it over to the Hokage's office or the Jonin mission desk. But something about this felt terribly wrong.

"They want sensei to lead a team." Hibiki nodded her head as Inoichi closed the file and handed it back over to her. She was the coder, and the younger teen could detect a lie in almost anything.

Lying in a code was just another part of the code. Every village did it there was always at least one lie in the bunch just in case the code was intercepted and decoded there was still a chance that the information was safe. That it wouldn't bring a much profit to the village who'd taken it. Because if there was a lie in it, then the authentication was compromised. However, when villages had people like Hibiki trained not only to code and decode intercepted missives but also to source out the lie in them then whoever sent said missive there plans were in danger.

Information was dangerous. Especially in the wrong hands.

"What do you think?" He finally asked her after a moment of thought. She bit her lip, Inoichi watched as she tried to gather her thoughts.

There were two things that she knew, number one this would end tragically if allowed to run its course. But she didn't like that option, she didn't want it to end tragically. Which brought her to the second bout of knowing, if she did something here, something to try and change it. Not even she would knew what repercussion that would bring.

But. Hatake Sakumo was her jonin sensei and she'd hate to see him die over ill-timed and asking for it mission work. The teen bit her lip.

What was she going to do? Her gaze ghosted over to Inoichi who was leaned into her space more than probably necessary. She could tell by the expression on his face that he didn't like it either.

"I think I need to talk to sensei." Inoichi leaned back in his chair, watching as she stood gathering the file in her hand. A determined look on her face.

"You should probably leave the file and send it back to the Jonin mission desk." He does tell her. She shakes her head clutches the file closer as she says this.

"This is the original copy of the request, and if it's on my desk and not the jonin mission desk right now that means it's the only copy. And I'm keeping it." The teen disappeared in a silent shunshin afterwards leaving the blonde with on singular thought.

She was going to be in so much trouble. If she got caught that is.

Hibiki wasn't a sensor by any means that was never a part of her skill set. A base fuinjutsu knowledge from her time as a student of the late Uzumaki Mito yes, a programer's mind from her last life sure, but sensor never in a million years. What she did have though, with all of that in mind, was a very keen in feel of those important to her.

Obito felt like a mild summer thunderstorm, Kushina mimicked a roaring fire, Mikoto was the feeling of a calm before a storm the feeling you get right before a tornado touches down an eerie still. Hibiki thinks that one has something to do with the older girl's genjutsus. But that's beside the point. The point remains, while she wasn't a sensor by any means she still could feel other's chakra especially those close to her.

Her sensei's chakra was hard to read all the time, he kept it mostly sedated. Being a tracker himself he knew how important that was. If people could get a feel for your certain signature then they could find you. Paranoid bastard. Although the lesson had been well heard, and she was notorious for suppressing her chakra to the point where people would even forget she was there. It was very useful.

However, at this time of the day, she knew where he would be if he wasn't away on a mission and that was at home. By the earliness of the morning he'd likely be up and making breakfast for himself and Kakashi. Hibiki slipped through the kitchen window, on that hung directly above an empty countertop. She took as seat on the counter sitting cross legged.

Sakumo was cooking something on the opposing stove, his back turned to her. Over his shoulder he flung a very sharp kitchen knife in her direction. Use to such dramatics from the silver haired man she ever so slightly shifted her head. The knife imbedded itself into the window frame.

"There is a door you know." He turned his head to look over his shoulder at the girl. She had pulled the knife from the window frame and was inspecting it a thoughtful look on her face.

"You're going to either kill or seriously hurt someone someday by doing that." He smirked, she ignored his comment. But the underline was clear, someone who wasn't me.

Hibiki always dodged.

"What do you want kid? Isn't it a bit early for a house call." She makes a face at him.

"Rude. I remember the days when you loved me." He snorted then, she was probably his favorite.

Whatever he was going to say next was cut off by a four year old Kakashi walking in dressed for school. She remembered another thing she wanted to talk to her sensei about then. "Hi Kashi-kun." Her tone is cheery as she regards the boy, he gives her a startled look. Well it's not obvious, but she knows he is.

"Hello Kano-san." She frowned slightly then her eyes glanced back over at Sakumo. He shrugged his shoulders at her. Jerk.

"That won't work, you can call me either Hibiki or nee-san." Sakumo snorted, she shot a dirty look at his back. The boy considered her words and nodded his head.

"Hai Hibiki-san." Well that was better than her last name she thinks sarcastically. The teen jumps down from the counter then and makes her way over to where she knows Sakumo keeps the plates. She grabs two.

"Go ahead and grab one for yourself, there's enough food here." She rolls her eyes and reaches for another plate then.

Wordlessly she sets the table, Kakashi eyeing her suspiciously the whole time. Finally as she passes him she reaches her hand down and ruffles his fluffy silver hair. "Cheer up." There's a cheeky grin on her face as she speaks. Hibiki can't help it, she's always loved kids.

Sakumo brings the meal he's prepared to the table, she eyes the food warily. "Are you planning on feeding a small army?" He shoots her a look.

"I knew you we're coming." His tone is sarcastic, but there is an underline there that she doesn't miss.

"Rude." Hibiki sounds offended, Kakashi too distracted by their exchange misses a slew of hand signs they throw at one another.

He was smart yes, there was no doubt about it. But he was also still a child and they were experience shinobi. "How are you liking class Kashi-kun?" She even goes so far as to turn her attention fully to him. The child pushes the food around his plate in place of answering outright.

"I was bored too. The other kids were just a bit too loud, the teachers drowned on to long." She tells him then conveniently stuff a huge amount of rice in her mouth. Sakumo snorts again.

"You mostly napped in class." He points out with a lazy drawl. She ignores him.

"I was a model student." Hibiki informs the child. Sakumo mumbled something under his breath. She shoots him a dirty look, obvious to what he had said.

Breakfast continues like this, Hibiki trying to make conversation with the child and his father giving witty commentary. She volunteers to clean up when they've finished giving Kakashi "Just try to make the best of it." Hibiki ruffles his hair.

She watches with sad eyes as the father offers to walk his son to school and the boy shoots him down. Sakumo deflates slightly but allows his son to leave. He turns his head to look at his student who was leaning against the door frame of the kitchen. A sigh escapes his lips at her expression.

Seemed it was time to get the business then.

"Shouldn't you be at T&I right now?" His eyes are tired, the pretense finally dropped now that Kakashi was gone.

"No." Her answer is short, she makes a motion for them to take a seat at the clean table. He indulges her this time. She unseals the file and hands it to him.

Hibiki gives him time to look over it, she watches for his response. The infiltrator's face had also been hard to read. He usually hid his emotions well. But she knew him, she had learned from him. Sakumo looks tired, more so than before, he looks to have aged years after reading over it.

"It was on my desk, mixed in with a bunch of personnel files." She informs him while she goes to fetch the tea pot. The all-nighter finally catching up to her.

"You didn't seen it to the correct offices." He watches her flit about the kitchen, turning the stove back on setting a kettle of water on the single burner. Trying to figure out why.

Even if he already knows why.

She couldn't help it. Hibiki had always cared too much, she was far too sentimental. Those she cared about she protected profusely. Even at the cost of her own soul. He was sure it would be her undoing at some point.

"I couldn't. It feels so wrong, this is such a bad idea." She wasn't wrong either, it was a bad idea. It screamed asking for it.

But this was a request from the Daimyo himself. It just couldn't be ignored. Ignoring it would only cause problems. Just as saying no would. And that meant something that neither shinobi liked, the Fire lord wanted to prove a point. That point would cause another war.

"Who else's knows?" He could tell this was the original copy of the request, the feel of the paper was rich, the ink too black, edges smooth, and the Daimyo's seal still felt waxy. Which brought up another issue altogether, if this ended up on Hibiki's desk in T&I and not in the Hokage's office someone wanted her to find it. That didn't spell anything good for the teen.

She bit her lip while she sat down across from him, kettle, leaves and cup in hand. "Inoichi, I showed him this morning." He nods, that didn't surprise him. Hibiki had always used the Yamanaka as a sounding board.

"And whoever placed it on your desk." Her expression soured at that. That was something she had already considered, and kept drawing a blank on.

"Here's the thing though, the only time anyone put anything on my desk was when the stack of personnel files were given to me." She takes a sip of her tea, the dark circles under her eyes more propionate then.

"When was that?" He wonders at that moment the last time she went home, and actually slept was.

"Yesterday morning. I've been at the office the whole time, I only got up once and I put a barrier on my desk so no one could approach it. Some of those files are for really high ranking shinobi." Sakumo understood that. No one should have been able to access her desk then, her barrier seals were impressive.

He frowned then, this was problematic. "We need to take this to the Hokage." Her whole body deflated then and he understood why. She hadn't followed protocol, she could face serious repercussions for that.

"I know." The defeated look she gives kills him. It's hard to see her anything but happy and smiling. He reaches a hand across the table and lays it on hers. Their eyes meet.

"It's going to be okay." He tries to reassure her. She gives him a small smile, one that doesn't reach her eyes and she nods her head.

Sakumo hoped he was right, for both their sakes. Because if not. This was going to end really badly for everyone. The aftermath of the war they just faced was still bad enough, he really didn't think they'd could handle another one so soon.

 **XOXOX**

 **Man this chapter was a long one, and a lot of fun to write. Now with my greatest pleasure I introduce to you plot! Hope you guys like it!**

 **Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! You guys are the best.**

 **I apologies if Sakumo seems a little to OOC at the end there. My bad.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	4. Chapter 4

" _To say you have no choice is to relieve yourself of responsibility."_ _ **~Patrick Ness, Monster of Men**_

 **.4**

The Sandaime is a kind man, it's the base of his nature. He is a fair leader. He does not make rash judgement or decisions without listening to the full explanation. Sarutobi Hiruzen wants to give everyone a chance if he can. So when Hatake Sakumo request an emergency meeting with him, and drags along his former student he is not surprised.

He had hoped this is what she'd do.

The Sandaime knew about the mission request from the daimyo, he's the one who had put it on the teen's desk in the first place. A mission like that, was Hokage's eyes only. But he wanted her to see it. Hiruzen wanted to see what she'd do.

Kano Hibiki had not disappointed him yet.

The girl was easily a genius, there was no doubt in his mind. No matter how hard she tried to downplay it and hide her own skill level. They couldn't get her to accept a rank higher than chunin, even though her job almost demanded it. Her clearance level alone was out of this world with everything she had access too.

They couldn't not take the mission, it was a request from the Daimyo himself. The Daimyo didn't make request. But doing this was suicide, and just asking for another war. He hadn't wanted that but he himself couldn't figure out a way to avoid it.

Hiruzen was not above asking for a second opinion, even if it came from a fourteen year old chunin. He watches her now as she tries to think of a way to explain the situation, admit to breaking protocol. That took a lot of strength.

He listens paitently as she tells him the whole story of how she found it in the midst of all the personnel files, how she showed it to Inoichi, and then finally of how she came to the conclusion of not sending it back to his office breaking protocol further in the process and instead taking it to the shinobi that it requested take the mission. She tells this story with her eyes closed, her breathing even, and her mind made up. Hiruzen is not fooled by her demure posture, and calm expression.

He knows just what exactly she is capable of. It's why he picked her. She didn't blindly follow.

"I see." He folds his hands in his lap, curious as to what she'll do next.

Her eyes open, they are calculating, her expression has changed. Hibiki has made up her mind. Completely. "It's a trap." She pauses there, waiting for his acknowledgement to verify that he too understand that.

"It is." He complies then nods his head for her to go on. She doesn't miss a beat.

"No matter the outcome here, sensei does or does not get caught, it's a mission designed to fail. A means to start anew war." He looks over at Sakumo then, the man is far quieter than he expected him to be. But maybe he knew. Knew that this was her moment.

"There is no outcome here that will end peacefully, the Daimyo knows that he wants that, this is a personal matter." A pissing match between lords, that was now escalating. He nods. Her assessment is not wrong.

"However, since there is no choice in the matter. Nothing we can change about the situation. I have a proposal. The Daimyo wants another war, we can give him another war. War is unfortunately easy to create. Especially with are current standing with the rest of the world." She sighs here, as if this point bothers her. As it should. Then she continues. "But why should it be our fault? We do not start wars, that's not what the Shodai wanted for this village. It is the exact opposite of why he created this village, so we shouldn't spit in his memory by doing so. Instead we should honor it by protecting our village from all those who'd seek to destroy it." Hibiki stops here, letting her words settle in.

There is a ghost of a smile on the Sandaime's face. He could see where she was going with this, and he liked it. "How do you propose we do that Kano-san?" Hiruzen couldn't wait to hear her answer. She actually smirked.

"Probable cause." While another war was not what they wanted, of course it wasn't. At least this way when it did happen, because it was going to, they had actual reasons. Not just to see who had bigger dicks. That was also the impression she'd gotten from the Third Shinobi war anyway.

Hibiki had a vague suspicion that what she was suggesting was very close to what Danzo had done during the third war to keep it going. But that wasn't what she wanted from this, if they did it this way, there was a chance that there foot hold would be stronger, a chance for a lot less loss. The war would be started on their terms, meaning they'd be better prepared for it. It was ambitious and also dangerous.

But two birds, one stone. And that's all she could think about. If the war started on their terms, if they had the upper hand throughout all of it, which they would if this worked. Than there would never be a need for Kannabi bridge incident. Team Minato would never go there, Obito wouldn't have to 'die'. Or at least that what she hoped would happen.

The Sandaime gave her an appraising look then. "And the time frame on the mission request?" Because while vague in what that was, the Daimyo had given them one.

"It will never come to that." She sounds confident and the look in her eyes let both men know she believes that too.

"Very well, then you and both dismissed. Kano-san you'll forget you saw that file." Hibiki dipped into a bow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Hokage-sama." She mutters, her tone sarcastic and he actually chuckles at her. Then he watches with a raised brow as she removes a seal off the floor. He hadn't realized she planted one there. Interesting.

The student teacher pair leave his office, each with their own mixed feelings. Sakumo liked this almost less than he liked the idea of the requested mission. He just hated the idea that they were seriously going to allow another war to happen in the first place. But he could see the point behind it and the tactician in him understood the way, it didn't change the fact that both options were awful.

Hibiki just felt a sense of apprehension of things to come. There was no telling what this would do to what she knew. These changes could actually be worse. But she couldn't dwell on that, least she'd go insane. Instead she decided to focus on the positive. Sakumo more than likely wouldn't have to take that mission meaning he wouldn't end up killing himself. That was something to be happy about.

"Do you mind picking Kakashi up from school?" She blinks several times when she finally registers the question. Sakumo is giving her an amused look, but in the mx she can see his concern.

"Uh, sure. I have to pick Obito up today anyway. Atsuko-oba-san is meeting with her book club or something like that." Sakumo shakes his head at the thought.

"Let me know how that goes." He disappears in a shunshin leaving her standing outside the Hokage tower alone. What a jerk. There was still hours to go before the Academy would let out for the day.

Hibiki sighs, she was glad that was over. For a moment there she'd thought she'd be in real trouble. Up until she realized that the Sandaime had set all of it up. Sneaky Hokage. He would be one of the only one's powerful enough to get past one of her barriers without her noticing. She's never even considered him when going through a list of suspects, maybe she was getting sloppy. Something to work on at least.

Speaking of work, she still had things to do at T&I. She guessed that's how she'd be spending the rest of her day until time to pick up the boys.

Another thought crashed into her then, one that stopped all of her thinking in its tracks. Obito and Kakashi were going to meet today. Oh kami, she couldn't even begin to see how that was going to go. For one singular moment she was cursing the man she'd just tried to save.

This was all his fault.

The early comment still stood, her sensei was a jerk.

..

Kushina has never seen someone look so worn as Hibiki does when she enters there shared apartment that night. The younger girl barely makes it to the couch before simply collapsing. She lays on the old beet and semi charred piece of furniture as if it's a godsend that she didn't know she needed.

It's Minato who pipes up from small table asking if she's okay though. Kushina is just so surprised to see her friend like that to say anything. "Hibiki are you alright?" The younger girl opens one eye to look over at them as if she just realized they were there.

"Obito and Kakashi met today." Kushina actually snorts at the explanation. She met Hibiki's 'little brother' several times and she'd also seen Sakumo's son around the village a few times. Polar opposites.

"Ah, and how did that go?" Kushina received a dirty look from the girl. Probably because of her tone.

"Loudly. On the plus side though, it was the first time I've seen Kakashi act like the four year old he is." Hibiki sits up then, still leaned into the couch, but she actually graces them with her full face instead of just one eye. She gives them a curious once over.

"Are you working on a new project?" Lazily she stands, dragging herself over to the table. Kushina watching the younger girl stumble towards them is reminded of something. A frown settles on her features and she ignores the question.

"You didn't come home last night." Hibiki groans, she can already feel the lecture coming. Minato snickers at her. Rude.

"I had a lot of work to do." Work she had to finish before picking up the boys from school. Work that was still waiting for her too.

Kushina frown only deepened. "You have to take care of yourself too!" Her expression disappointed, and Hibiki hated it. She hated disappointing the older girl and tried hard not to do so often.

Sometimes it just couldn't be helped.

Hibiki doesn't say anything back, she knows there's nothing she can say that will appease the red heads ire. So she stays quiet and accepts the scolding. It's easier that way. Kushina and she were similar in that regard. They cared too much. Worried too hard.

"I'm sorry for worrying you Shina-chan." Hibiki says when the older teen has finished her spew, she gives a small bow of her head and Kushina's expression softens.

"If you're not planning to come home just let me know, okay?" Hibiki nods as that is all the energy she has to give at that point. She had finally reached her limit, today had been too much.

"I'm going to bed." Kushina watches her stand again, on tired legs, the dark haired girl heads down the small hall and to her room. Shutting the door quietly.

Hibiki collapses onto her bed, the stress leaving as she curls into a ball. She prays the choices she made today, the things that she has done, do not come to bite her in the ass. The adult trapped in the body of a child hopes for a better tomorrow. Her body and mind fall slowly into a restless sleep.

She tries to fight her nightmares away for just one night, the knowing, and the uncertainty that came with it haunting her even in her dreams.

 **XOXOX**

 **I'm on a roll with this. Sorry I didn't include the Obito/Kakashi meeting. I didn't really feel like writing it out. Just use your imagination on that, maybe I'll write an omake for it later or something. I don't know. Anyway let me know what you think! I look forward to hearing from you.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	5. Chapter 5

" _It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterward were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait."_ _ **~J.R.R. Tolkien**_

 **.5**

After almost five full years of peace, the Village Hidden in the Leaves was brought into another theatre of war. Hibiki's suggestion had worked. The third war had been started with no visible blame to them. Konoha was just defending their own. She hated herself for the part she had played in all this. Even if it was unavoidable.

She tried not to think about it.

The warm light of the sun in her eyes it what pulls her from her thoughts. Hibiki swore she blocked the window why was the sun hitting her in the face. Squinted eyes shift over the room and narrow even further. Inoichi was such an ass. The head of T&I had taken down the board from the small window in her privet office, there was a smug look on his face. She had been so focused on her work that she hadn't noticed him come in.

At least this was a safe place, and not say the battlefield.

"You've been here all night again." His tone is concerned, he leans against her desk handing her a cup of what the teen hoped was really strong coffee. They had that here, she had been ecstatic to learn.

It smelt like coffee, looked like coffee. But did she want to trust him not to put anything in it. Or worse. "This is decaf." Her tone is dry as she draws to the conclusion and he actually sighs at her. Disappointed.

"Yes, now drink it and go home. This isn't going anywhere." She frowns at him, doesn't he know how important staying on top of all this was. Her confusion must have shown on her face because he rolls his eyes.

"Hibiki, you haven't left in days, or slept properly. Go home and rest. Come back tomorrow with a fresh mind. You're more likely to make mistakes if you don't and then all this work you've done you'll just have to redo." She couldn't argue with that logic.

"I'll be back in six hours." He gave her a look of sheer disapproval.

"Eight." She tried that time and Inoichi doesn't even understand why she's being so stuborn. His eyes narrow at her then.

"No, tomorrow. Nine A.M is the earliest you are allowed to be here. If you are here any earlier you won't be able to even get in your office and I'll temporarily evoke your clearance." She gaped at him. Could he really do that? The look on his face told her he was serious. Hibiki huffed, she wasn't going to win this fight.

But what was she supposed to do until then. That was almost twenty-four hours from now. She would not sleep for all of it. Inoichi was just asking for too much if he thought that was going to happen. Hibiki would be lucky if she got at least four.

"I hate you." She mutter sarcastically as he basically forces her out of the office. Inoichi smirked at the back of her head.

"As you've said many times before. I'll you in the morning." That was a clear dismissal if she'd ever heard one. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

It was ten o'clock in the freaking morning, there was no way she'd go to bed then. That would screw her already terrible sleepy schedule up even further. Yeah she didn't need that. Hibiki wondered around the village for a while before deciding on a destination.

The Uchiha district was not far from where she was, and she decided it had been a while since she'd seen Mikoto. While not a place she frequently visited unless to just the outskirts of it to see Obito and Atsuko-oba-san Hibiki did occasionally make trips there. There was this really awesome dango shop not too far into the district that she liked threating herself to every now and again. So she picked some up before heading in the direction of where she knew Mikoto would be right now.

At home. She knew her friend had just gotten home from a small stretch of being deployed, the reason as to why she hadn't see here in a while. So there really wasn't any other place for her to be. When she started to approach the gate of the traditional styled home she was greeted by two very 'lovely' police officers. She was being glared at, which she didn't like, and then being asked for her identification and her reason for being in the area. Apparently the barely five foot teen looked suspicious.

Idiots.

They weren't really lovely either, she actually though they were dicks. But Hibiki was trying to be nice. Whatever sarcastic comment she was about to spew at them, thanks to the lack of sleep and lack of shits given that is, died on her tongue the next second. Deep inky eyes met her and she gave the man the most cheerful expression. "Fugaku!" He gave a deep sigh at her enthusiasm, then dismissed the two Uchiha police members.

There was no need for them here. He knew what the girl wanted, and who exactly she'd come to see. Fugaku would never hear the end of it if he denied her this either. From either his wife or the chunin before him. She was still a chunin right? The clan head never could remember since what he knew of her skill level didn't really match.

"Mikoto is in the back yard." Hibiki nodded her head before stepping around him and heading towards the backyard.

He heard her yell a greeting at his wife before heading towards the police headquarters. Fugaku didn't want to be anywhere near those two. Especially if what Mikoto told him this morning about Kushina coming over to visit was true. Those three together. The clan head shook his head at the thought, best to not think on it.

"MIKO! It's been so long!" Hibiki half yelled her greeting as she set a bag of sweets next to the Uchiha matron who just smirked at her.

"There still giving you trouble I see." The young adult's look is amused as she watches Hibiki fall onto the grass next to her.

"I've never done anything to them." She pauses here. "That they can prove at least." Mikoto snorted at her expression.

"It's good to see you again, here I'd thought you'd forgotten about me." Mikoto says teasingly. Hibiki smiles.

"You were deployed, and I've been hung up at work. I'm actually on a forced day off right now." This time the Uchiha couldn't even stop herself and she just laughed at the younger girl's expense. That was just so Hibiki.

"This looks fun." Hibiki looked up, a look of actually surprise on her face. When did Kushina get here? Better yet how had she actually missed an arrival of Uzumaki Kushina? Any sudden appearance of the red head almost always ended with her getting jumped.

The two hardly saw each other these days. Hibiki probably would never forgive herself for the hand she played in that.

"I stopped by your office earlier, Inoichi said he sent you home for the day." There is a hint of concern in Kushina's voice as she joins the two on the ground. An underline question asking if she was okay. She probably wasn't.

"Apparently, I've been working too much. He's banned me from coming in until nine o'clock tomorrow morning." Kushina has fixed her with a look, Hibiki is briefly reminded of an overbearing mother as a result of the red heads expression. It wasn't really disappointment per say, more along the lines of a weird mix of concern and disapproval.

"How many days?" Mikoto is actually the one to ask the next question, knowing Hibiki's workaholic tendencies just as well as the Uzumaki teen. Hibiki doesn't answer at first, instead she looks down into her lap as if she has to really think about it. The concern on Kushina's face deepens.

"Ugh? Between three and six." She can't really remember, the day's sort of bleed together after the second day straight in her office. Mikoto shakes her head.

"I don't even want to ask how many hours of sleep you've regulated in that time do I?" The teen gives a sheepish grin to the older girl, she's trying hard to ignore the look she's getting from Kushina. It isn't working.

"It'll probably make you mad." Kushina finally gave an exasperated huff towards Hibiki, and her lack of personal care.

"Why do you keep doing this? You have to stop doing that to yourself?"Kushina's face was overcome with her worry, Hibiki wished she could give her friend an answer. Instead she just shrugged her shoulders. Hibiki wished she didn't have to do this, of course she knew how bad this was for her all around health. She'd give anything to stop if she could.

But she couldn't, not until it was over. Not until she could atone for her part in all of this. She had to make sure that as many of their forces were spared, that they came home to their families. If not. If she didn't work like this, if she didn't try then she'd never be able to forgive herself for her part in all of this. Kushina could never know that, none of them could ever know of the part she played.

They'd more than likely never forgive her if they knew, Sakumo-sensei had started giving her a bit of a cold shoulder when he saw her. And Hibiki couldn't handle it if all her precious people hated her. Especially when she did everything for them.

Kushina pulled the younger girl into a hug, she groaned in protest. Mikoto snickered at them. The red head was lightly petting the younger girls head. "You don't have to carry your burdens alone." Although Kushina didn't know the extent as to why Hibiki was burry herself in work, she was smart enough to figure out her friend was dealing with something.

"We're here too Hibiki." Mikoto told her soothingly. She reached across the grass and placed a hand on the girl's exposed knee.

Hibiki really wanted to believe them. Truly she did. But the guilt and the knowing were eating her alive. She didn't know how much more she could take. Losing them would break her, she could never let that happen. Even if it meant dealing with this alone.

She knew. So they didn't have too.

 **XOXOX**

 **Here you go! Posting this before I go to work. I'll re-read tonight and make edits then.**

 **Thank you for all your kind words!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	6. Chapter 6

" _The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward."_ **Steve Maraboli**

 **.6**

He stared down into the glass, the clear liquid mocked him. War. They were once again at war. It seemed like peace was an unobtainable dream. Sakumo could tell it was tearing both of them apart. But he just couldn't help it. Every time he saw her, the feeling of guilt just increased. All of this was because of her, she made this happen, and she did it all so he wouldn't have too.

That's what made him so guilty. She had spared his life, taken something out of his hands and handled it. His student, the student he'd sworn to protect, the daughter of his late teammate. Someone who shouldn't have had to carry such a burden, a burden he should have carried alone. But she hadn't let him.

Hibiki fixed the war. The specifics of what she did are known only to herself and Sandaime, but he had an idea one he didn't like. A picture painted in hues of gray, and a splash of red. She saved him, and when he saw her he knew. The price had been great.

A piece of her own soul. She barely smiled anymore. The dark circle under her eyes more propionate than they use to be. Hibiki had easy lost ten pounds, he could tell when he saw the hallowed out cheeks there once rosy flush gone. He was reminded of a ghost.

The guilt only grew. So he avoided her, giving his favorite student the cold shoulder. Sakumo had to figure out to cope with it. Because right now he was doing a terrible job. He had a slight suspicion that it was only making things worse for her too.

She needed someone to talk to. Someone who knew. Hibiki needed him right now and he couldn't be there for her. He could barely look at her.

Guilt and anger. A very dangerous mix. He was angry with himself for allowing her to do that, angry at the daimyo for backing them into the corner, and he was angry at her. Not for what she did, he couldn't be not since she did it for him, but angry that it had to be her. That she was the one to do it. Out of all the shinobi to choose from, it was her.

He wished it would have been anyone else.

But he knew, and it only made his guilt worse. It had to be her. There was no one else, she was the only one who could do it. The Sandaime had picked her for a reason. She didn't follow blindly, she loved fiercely and she'd go to the ends of the earth if it meant those she cared for would be safe.

A hand lands on the top of his cup, delicate in frame with slender fingers and long painted nails. Her hand. He looks up, her blue-gray eyes are filled with concerned as she carefully pries the glass from his hand. "I think that's enough." Hibiki's voice is soft, kind, there is no trace of malice or disappointment in her tone. It's just kind.

He hadn't notice her come in, she must have used a window. She takes the bottle of sake next, dumps the contents of the glass into the sink and puts the bottle away. Sakumo watches as she skirts about his kitchen, she prepares a small lunch. Hibiki hadn't visited him in months, he wonders briefly what has prompted this sudden appearance.

She'd been avoiding him too.

"I ran into Minato and Kakashi in the market. They had concerns." She tells him as she forces a glass of water into his hand. The order of drink clear in her eyes. Stubborn girl. Hibiki goes back to her work of preparing the food. Her back to him as she rambles.

"Inoichi is still a jerk, apparently I'm not allowed to return to TI until tomorrow morning. He kicked me out earlier today." He found himself chuckling at her tone. That sounded like something the Yamanaka would do.

"Miko and Shina are both good, I saw them this morning. The uchiha police are still assholes though." She brining a few dishes to the table then, he snorts then. The military police and she had never gotten along. Sakumo still can't get her to tell him why though.

She takes a seat across from him making a motion for him to eat with her hands. He raises a brow at her, she looks like a starved dog. Hibiki gives him a ghost of a smile. "Miko forced dumplings down my throat earlier, I'm currently full. Atsuko-obaa is making dinner tonight." Sakumo nods, that is acceptable. For now.

"Thank you." He mutters before beginning. She smiles again, it doesn't seem as forced.

They don't talk about the obvious avoidance on both ends, or the war, or any of the numerous things they probably need to discuss. Instead Hibiki tells him stories of the little Uchiha she claims as her brother. Moriko would have been proud.

"He's having trouble in class, his test scores are pretty bad. But when I talk to him about he knows all the answers." She frowns then. As if the thought really bothers her, it probably does he muses. Hibiki loved the little boy and she was notorious be acting like a protective mother hen when it came to the children. He knows this from firsthand experience.

She scolded an academy instructor for a good half hour once about special treatment to certain student. It was intense, Hibiki had been angry. The instructors had been mostly ignoring civilian born students in favor of focusing on prodigies like Kakashi and clan born kids. Hibiki had not been happy, as an intelligence based shinobi who was technically a genius she could see so many problems in that.

He didn't really like it either, civilian born shinobi made up a good majority of the genin and chunin core. They handled a lot of in village missions, like D-ranks, and also small currier missions to the borders. So they needed to have the same knowledge of their peers. If they didn't they were more likely to get caught, lose information, and or be killed. None of those would happen if they were trained and taught right though. Hibiki knew that, she'd argued the point with Inoichi once after training, because they had a civilian born teammate once and lack of knowledge was what got him killed.

Sakumo tried not to think about the student he failed. He only felt more guilt when he did. It didn't always work.

"Test scores don't really matter in the end." He tells her, she pouts.

"They do for team placement, although his class now has an odd number since Kakashi graduated." She gives a thoughtful look. Tapping her fingers absentmindedly on the table. He studies her expression before sighing.

"You're thinking too hard about it." He mutters, her attention snaps back to him then.

"Maybe, but I can't help it." Sakumo shakes his head, this was just so typical of her. Worrying about everything.

"You have at least another two years before that happens, don't obsess over it now. Worrying will do you no good." He stands gathering the dishes off the table. Hibiki makes a move to stand and help, he waves her down.

"Sit, I got this." She smiles at his cocky tone. Glad that things have maybe gone back to normal.

Hibiki hadn't seen Minato and Kakashi today, she lied when she told him that. But she had been worried about him. Also she didn't like for them to not be talking. He was her sensei. Sakumo had always been there for her. He was the last living connection she had to her mother. That was something she couldn't squander. Her mother meant everything to her, she tried to live her life as someone Kano Moriko would be proud of.

Sometimes she felt like she fell very far from that mark. Especially here lately.

"Say, aren't you supposed to pick Obito up from school today?" Sakumo asked as he rejoined her at the table. The academy let out early today, or so he heard and he was pretty sure that Hibiki picked him up on those days when she could.

He watched with an amused smile as she jumped up from her chair. A sort of panic in her eyes. "Shit! I gotta go, I'm going to be late." She didn't use the door. "See you later sensei!" The window slammed shut behind her. Sakumo shook his head.

He finished his glass of water and headed out of the kitchen. There was still plenty of day left, training sounded like something mind numbing. While he felt exceedingly better than he had about the situation, it was going to be an ongoing process of letting go. Something mind numbing was what he needed right now. Sakumo grabbed his training pack, he'd be home late.

He's a lucky kid, really he is. Because he has her. Obito knows that Hibiki isn't his real sister, as far as he knew they weren't related. But that never really matter to her, she loved him anyway. Hibiki was the best big sister any kid could wish for. When he needed her, no matter what, she was always there for him.

His super awesome nee-san was unfortunately usually too busy to pick him up from school these days. With the war and everything going on, and when she did pick him up on those rare occasions that it happen she always looked really tired. So he was quite surprised to see her talking easily with one of his teachers that afternoon. Whatever the reason she was here instead of Sobo at that particular moment he finds himself completely uncaring. The almost seven year old was just too excited to see his sister who was actually lively for once. He sprinted off towards her, ignoring the call from one of the other kids in the process.

Hibiki bless her soul doesn't even stumbled when Obito crashes in her legs, wrapping his arm around them in a hug. By this point he'd been doing this his entire life and she simply grown accustom to it. He smiles up at her, she ruffles the top of his unruly black hair affectionately and smiles back. "Hi Obi-chan, did you have a good day?" The chunin instructor chuckles, it's refreshing to see that even with the war some people were still treating children as such.

"Yep! I'm gonna go get my stuff." She nods her head. Obito lets go stepping away from his sister and heads down the hallway to his class room. Hibiki's hand falls to her side stiffly, she keeps a careful eye on him as he goes as if she's afraid he'll never come back. When he's too the classroom door only then does she turn her eyes back on the instructor, to his amusement.

The chunin in question is only a slight bit older than herself, and is she'll have you note, not the same man she had an argument with several months ago. That in itself is slightly concerning. Why were those barely considered adults allowed to be teaching children? It didn't make any sense to her.

"He's a bright kid. But he really needs to study more or harder, his test scores are really low." The sensei tells her, and she nods her head in confirmation. Atsuko-obaa had told her that. She was concerned. Hibiki bites her lip.

"We have been informed of this. But is there anything you would suggest doing? Something me or his obaasan could help with?" Hibiki has the suspicion that like Kushina had when they were still students Obito lacked the proper attention span for test taking. Or if he was anything like her, he just found the sensei's boring. However unlikely.

"As you probably know, the knowledge is there. Obito-kun retains the verbal lesson pretty well. It's honestly just the testing part. Nothing seems to hold his attention, all of his test are only half done. If he'd finish them or at least the questions he started on I'm positive his grades would be better." So maybe a mix of both then, she thinks. Hibiki frowns ever so slightly. That wasn't good, there wasn't going too much of anything they could do.

Maybe she could get him to try meditating. It helped Kushina.

"We'll work with him, have a good day sensei." At that moment Obito exited the classroom. The chunin watched as the dark haired girl turned silently on her heels and headed in the direction of the student in question. Uchiha Obito was giving her the biggest smile he'd ever seen from the kid. She took his hand, and they walked down the hallway like that before turning the corner and disappearing from his view. He was certain that Kano-san would probably keep hold of her brother's hand until they reached home.

That kid was lucky to have her. He mused, his last thought of the woman and the boy for the day. There was still work to be done and more guardians to talk to.

Hibiki, contrary to what the sensei believed would happen actually ended up carrying Obito after he tripped. She had him on her back, as it was the most comfortable for her considering how big her brother was getting. Obito laid his head on her shoulder, his arms wrapped loosely around her neck. He yawned. Apparently she wasn't the only one who was tired.

"Nee-chan." He calls softly, she smiles looking back carefully at him. His eyelids are drooping slowly.

"Yes Obi-chan?" She coes, her voice soft. He nuzzles his head closer to her neck.

"I love you." He mutters quietly, dozing slightly as she carries him. Her heart flutters in her chest. A small warm smile takes over her face.

"I love you too Obi-chan." The little boy is out by the time they made it home. She settles them both on the overstuffed couch, Obito shifts slightly now cuddled up against her side.

Atsuko upon her return from the market finds them curled up together sound asleep. She chuckles softly, takes the blanket from the chair and places it over them before heading into the kitchen. Usually they helped her make supper, but for now she'd let them sleep. Kami knew that Hibiki needed it, probably more so than Obito but they looked so cozy. The old woman smiles as she sets about her work.

She really loved those kids.

 **XOXOX**

 **It's so fluffy! You guys this chapter was so much fun to write, I hope it helps with some of the questions you've had about Sakumo. Also it would have been longer but I decided to cut some things out and use them for a later chapter. I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	7. Chapter 7

" _I know you're afraid, but being afraid is alright. Because didn't anybody ever tell you? Fear is a superpower. Fear can make you faster and cleverer and stronger. And one day you're gonna come back to this barn and on that day you're going to be very afraid indeed. But that's okay, because if you're very wise and very strong fear doesn't have to make you cruel or cowardly. Fear can make you kind. It doesn't matter if there's nothing under the bed or in the dark so long as you know it's okay to be afraid of it. So listen. If you listen to anything else, listen to this. You're always gonna be afraid even if you learn to hide it. Fear is like a companion, a constant companion, always there. But that's okay because fear can bring us together. Fear can bring you home. I'm gonna leave you something just so you'll always remember. Fear makes companions of us all."_ _ **~ Clara Oswald, Doctor Who (Listen)**_

 **.7**

It's all downhill from here, she mused dryly to herself. The deployment orders held loosely in her hands. A grimace on her face. Combat had never really been her forte, not in large quantities at least. She was an intelligence officer who favored desk work above anything else.

Sakumo glanced at her from the corner of his eye, she was quiet. Perhaps too quiet. He expected her to protest, expected her to be upset, but instead she was quiet. Eerily so. It was not a good sign. The last time she'd been this quiet, this unresponsive, unemotional was when her mother died. Ten years ago.

He hoped, although he knew the unlikely hood, that she wouldn't see the combat. That they could utilized her skills at whatever base they'd set up, that they needed her on the front for something other than the fighting. Hibiki hated fighting. She hated everything about the concept. It had only gotten worse.

For that same reason you would never want to go one on one with her. Because she hated fighting, she always did her best to end the fight quickly. But she wasn't sloppy with it, everything she did, her coding, personnel files, and training, all of it she did with her absolute best. Complete perfection she strived for it every single time. She was only a chunin is rank, and that was of her own choosing. The girl should have been a jonin by now but she kept turning down the offer of promotion, to his amusement.

She didn't say much after they received their orders, except to say she needed to go say goodbye. He watched her walked away until she disappeared into a puff of smoke. He let out a sigh. This feeling of dreed building up in the pit of his stomach. It all felt wrong.

The sixteen year old ended up at Kushina's first, she knocked timidly. Kushina opened the door slowly, her face had splashes of ink on it. Hibiki cracked a small smile. "I'm leaving for the border." She says before the red head even has a chance to say anything.

Kushina freezes. "When?" She ask after a moment once she processes the news.

"Tomorrow morning, early. Maybe sooner." Kushina pulls the girl close, wrapping her arms around her smaller frame.

"Be safe." She insists.

"I'll try, Kushina I need you to promise me something." Hibiki bites her lip and Kushina gives a sad smile.

"I'll keep an eye on them." The dark haired girl nods her head. Kushina knew her so well.

"Thank you." The smile on Kushina's lips wavers and she nods.

"Of course." Hibiki doesn't stay long, her heart to heavy her lungs to tight. She says a goodbye before disappearing.

Mikoto doesn't flinch when Hibiki appears next to her in the garden. She barely cast her second glance. "You're leaving." The Uchiha matron states, her tone knowing.

"I got my orders this morning." Mikoto nods, Hibiki doesn't take a seat next to her.

"I see. Come home in one piece." There is a clear threat in that line Hibiki thinks. But she pays it no mind.

"Of course, I'd hate to miss his arrival." Mikoto shot a brow at her, placing a hand on the growing bump. A smirk on her face as she did so.

"Kushina wants a girl." Hibiki rolled her eyes. That sounded like her, she was going to be disappointed.

"Well Shina can't always get what she wants. Take care." The older woman smiled, and shook her head. Hibiki didn't stay to hear her response.

Obito was out on a D-rank with the newly formed team 7, so he wasn't home when she arrived at Atsuko-obaa's house. She let herself in quietly. The old woman was sitting in her chair reading, slowly she set the book down watching the teen as she crossed the living room and took a seat on the couch. Atsuko gives her a sad but telling look and then in a light hearten tone speaks.

"You're going to miss my birthday." Although her tone is teasing, and her voice gentle Hibiki still feels guilty. Because she is, because it's not the only thing she's going to miss. Deployments were a long and messy business, it's why she'd hoped they'd never pick her.

"I am, I'll miss his too." Atsuko gets up from her seat and crosses the room to sit next to the teen.

"You'll be home before we know it, this isn't goodbye forever." The old woman pulls the teen close to her in a comforting side embrace. Hibiki places her hand on top of Atsuko's.

"It still feels like an ending though. As if once I'm gone I'll never come back, I'm terrified obaasan." Atsuko runs her fingers through the girl's hair in a slow soothing manor. It was something she used to do for the girl's mother when Moriko was stressed out.

Moriko was like the daughter she never had.

"You will come back." The old woman sounds sure, as if she believes this without a doubt. "Use your fear Hibiki, use it as fuel and stay alive." She is vaguely reminded of something she once heard, but shakes her head. There is no time to dwell on the past.

"Thank you obaasan." Atsuko has a ghost of a smile. She pats the girl's shoulder.

"On with you now. You need to get ready." Hibiki stands, Atsuko walks with her too the door.

"Obito said something about training after D-ranks today." She nods her head in understanding."He's not going to take this well." Hibiki frowns, the old woman offers her a kind smile but she doesn't comment for she knows there is truth in those words. Atsuko watches as the teen silently slips out the door and heads towards the team training grounds. The old woman prayed for her safe return.

Training field three, looked exactly as it did in the anime. Three warn post, the over hang of trees and in the distance you could see a small reflection from the memorial stone. Hibiki frowned. She had no way of knowing if she'd end up on that stone or not. She felt that way each and every time she got sent out of the village. Except now, since they were at war the feeling was only worse.

She watched as Minato interacted with the children. He was a good teacher, and he was good for them. They were so young. Obito and Rin were both nine and eight respectively and had been genin for almost six months, Kakashi was seven and was a chunin for a period of time she had not yet determined. Sakumo didn't tell her of his son's promotion seeing as she knew it would only anger her. He was too young, still a baby in her eyes. Minato had been a good choice, he was fair to them and considered there age. For now.

Hibiki watched for a few more minutes, a strained smile on her face as the boys argued and Minato stood by an amused look on his face. Her heart constricted in her chest again. This was going to hurt so badly. After a moment longer of watching and once she was sure the blonde had realized her presence she jumped down right between the two arguing boys. Minto bit back a snicker.

"Hello Hibiki." He called to her, and she offered him small smirk over her shoulder.

"Hello Minato, do you mind if I borrow Obi-chan for a minute." It wasn't a question, he knew by the serious look in her eye. Minato knew that there age group would be getting orders. He just hadn't thought she'd be picked. Hibiki hated combat. Sha had always opperated best at a desk, somewhere surrounded by files. Claiming it was easier to see the big picture that way.

"Sure." Hibiki placed one hand on Obito's shoulder and shunshined them away from everyone else. Coincidentally she landed them right next to the memorial stone. Her sweet naive little brother gave her a startled look. Probably at the sudden displacement.

She squatted down so she was looking up at him, her hand on his arm. "Nee-san?" He tilts his head, his expression confused. Hibiki sighs, there is no easy way to tell him this. No easy way to break the news to him. He's going to be upset no matter how she does this, so in that case it was better to just rip the band-aid off.

"I'm being deployed, I will be gone for at least six months." His expression changes quickly, from confusion to upset. She hates to watch it happen, hates to be the cause of it.

"No." He denies. Hibiki shakes her head.

"I'm sorry." His expression hardens. Her heart breaks.

"No! You promise! That you wouldn't leave me like they did." Like his parents did. His voice is cold. Anger has settled in.

"I know, I'm sorry." Obito shakes her hand off his arm, he crosses his arms across his chest. She is reminded of his age, of how much a child he still is.

"Obi-"He cuts her off. "Go away, I hate you!" Obito turns and runs from her then. Hibiki is too frozen in her spot to react, to reach for him, to stop him. His words cut her deep. She watches with a hurt expression as he disappears into the surrounding forest.

For a moment she's just frozen in her spot, hurting. She knew he wouldn't take it kindly. But she never thought he'd react like that. Hibiki stands, but she doesn't move not until a hand lands on her shoulder prompting her to turn her head back. Minato gives her a sad smile.

"How much did you hear?" She mumbles, her eyes meet his and he sighs. There a tears building in her eyes. Hibiki looks so broken.

"All of it, Kakashi and Rin didn't hear anything but I did send them to find Obito. He'll come around." She doesn't understand where the people around her keep getting their unfailing optimism from and quite frankly she isn't sure she wants too.

"I leave tonight, technically early tomorrow morning. But I won't be sleeping. Just keep me updated on him? Please?" Minato gives her a small reassuring smile.

"Certainly, you as well when you can." He pats her shoulder before heading off in the direction of team seven's fading chakra signatures.

Her fingers trace over their names, slowly. She can't shake this doubt bubbling in her chest or the pain in her heart. Obito's words spoken in a childish rage had struck deep. Hibiki prayed they wouldn't be the last she'd hear from him. Then she prayed for this to all be over soon.

Although she doubted it.

She was heading into the unknown, all the prayers and knowing couldn't change a thing. The only thing she knew for certain is that she couldn't die here. There was still so much she wanted to do and if she died who was going to make sure they lived. Hibiki had no other choice, no matter what happened, no matter what came to be, she had to survive.

It was going to be a very long six months.

 **XOXOX**

 **Hope you guys like this chapter! Please let me know what you think, as always I love hearing from all of you.**

 **If you were wondering about the ages of the characters, here is a short explanation and then a list.**

 **First of all the ages for Kushina and Minato's group is very confusing, and not very well explained I think in the manga or anime. As if the time tables don't really add up so I tweaked them to fit what I needed. So yah...**

 **Anyway here is a short list.**

 **Hibiki (16 as stated in the chapter)**

 **Kushina, Minato (19)**

 **Inoichi(18-19 range)**

 **Mikoto(22, the wiki says she is 22 when she has Itachi)**

 **Obito(9)**

 **Rin(8)**

 **Kakashi(7)**

 **I hope that helps clears up any confusion!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	8. Chapter 8

" _Don't open this door, don't give them the slightest chance to enter. Because once you do, once that door is open. You'll never be able to close it again. There is no going back. Survive, yes! Do everything in your power, except that. Keep the door of desperation closed, lock it, throw the key away and never give it the chance to ruin you."_ _ **~Unknown**_

 **.8**

The crackle of lighting release echoed around the clearing, she ducked under the oncoming attack using her small size to her advantage. Blood was dripping from a cut on her temple obstructing her vision, the smell of copper burned her nose. If she hadn't spent so much time dodging knives when entering the Hatake house her injuries would no doubt be worse. Considering she was outnumbered two to one and sensei was on the other side of the battlefield so she wouldn't be receiving any help. Not any time soon at least.

As she comes up from the dodge spinning the staff in her hands until each end was in the opposing's faces. The silver plated staff crackles to life, the electricity makes a loud humming noise. She can only hold the chakra there for so long, but Hibiki thinks it will buy her some time. Any hit by this would surely slow them down, perhaps if she hit hard enough and it just the right spot it might kill them. That idea sounded the least pleasant, but it was beginning to look like her only choice.

She had to survive. Even if the cost was the life of others. It was a price she'd pay. Death was after all a natural result of war.

Hibiki had been using small amounts of lighting release this whole time, but she thinks that perhaps a bo staff conducting electricity is an odd sight. It's the only explanation as to why both shinobi pause briefly. She doesn't give them time to think on it long however and is quickly making attempted strikes to their person. The taller opponent, the one who'd given her the gash on her temple isn't as fast as his teammate and is hit square in the stomach with the lighting conducting weapon. It is a quick death, and now she's down to one opponent to focus on.

The woman of the pair is livid, killer intent is seeping off her in waves. Hibiki feels no sympathy for her. She's not sorry, it was kill or be killed. Her staff is still crackling with electricity but is fading, as is her chakra and her stamina. This had been going on for too long, it was time to end it. Quickly she secured the staff on her back, there was a small magnet on the staff that connect to a small magnet on her chunin vest.

With both hands free she pulls a small exploding tag from her pouch, Kushina had made her a wide range of them, and gifted them to her right before they left the village. Hibiki had used majority of the larger ones at this point. They'd been on the front lines for months. But the smaller ones, the ones really only good for close combat or one on one fighting. Well she still had plenty of those left, and in situations like this they were very useful and also very dangerous. If used improperly, if she didn't give herself enough distance, well they were both dead.

Hibiki jumped back, dodging the swipe of the woman's scythe. The two bladed weapon had been annoying to deal with. Extended range weapons when used by other people against her were just a nuisance to begin with. She carefully tied the tag to a standard throwing knife jumping back again, barely avoiding taking a blade to the shoulder. Her eyes narrowed at the konouchi.

The kunai soared through the air, the konouchi evaded it with ease, but it wasn't meant to hit her. Hibiki jumped back once more, she had just enough distance now. Her hands sped through a motion of seals, faster than the other woman had been prepared for before she quickly slammed them down onto the wet earth. Water conducted the electricity from the release cracking the earth beneath them and setting off the explosion. It was a beautiful sight, the other woman had to jump back to avoid the coming current storm and right into the explosion. Just in time too, because Hibiki was officially out of chakra now. Her hands we're badly burnt, and the bleeding gash on her temple was only getting worse.

She started to fall, only to be caught be a fellow leaf shinobi. It wasn't Sakumo but another member of their squad. "Good job." Opal eyes met hers, a Hyuga, she's pretty sure it's one of the twins but as they were closer to Fugaku's age rather than her own she wasn't very familiar with either of them.

"Thanks." She mutters weakly, her strength wavering. Also she'd rather not receive praise for killing people.

He helps her over to where they squad was regrouping, revealing in their apparent victory. Even if it was a small one. They were all mostly okay. The twin she'd yet to identify sat her down on a log in front of their squad's medic, the woman gave her a once over. She gave the girl an unimpressed look, raising a glowing green hand to Hibiki's head.

"Testing new skills in the midst of battle is stupid." The medic informs her while examining the girl's burned fingers. Hibiki doesn't respond, instead she stares vacantly at her mud covered feet. She's too tired to protest and far too gone to even care.

The woman holds out a blood pill to the younger girl, watching with hawk's eyes to make sure Hibiki took the nasty tasting pill and didn't throw it up. Blood replenishing pills on an empty stomach wasn't something the medic would advise normally. But they needed the dark haired teen to be alert, not half passed out from blood loss. Camp wasn't close, and in that time anything could happen.

Hibiki pushed back the sudden feeling of nausea as she watch the medic tend to the less wounded. She'd been one who had taken on two enemies at once. Not because she wanted too, that hadn't been something she'd want. They thought she'd be an easy target.

Slowly she stood, Hibiki stumbled slightly and decided that whichever twin was still standing next to her was a good crutch. He gave her an entirely unamused look as if he could read her mind. Hibiki often wondered what those eyes really saw. "Sorry." She mumbles, he rolls his eyes.

"I'm not carrying you." Hibiki cracks a smile at his tone, sarcasm was a universal languages. So he's probably the younger twin. Wasn't he less uptight? She really didn't know. Should have paid better attention, but she'd been distracted.

One of Sakumo's pack bumps its head against her, the dog has the vague making of a Great Dane and is almost half her height which in hindsight isn't that big of a deal. Hibiki was forever petite. "You can lean on me until your footing is steady." She places a hand on his massive head. "Thank you Akito-san." He gives her a pleased look and helps her over to his summoner.

"We have to go, we can't stay any longer." They were still in enemy territory, back up hours away. It was in there best interest to get far away from here by the time a recon team was sent to investigate the damage done. Hibiki nodded her head.

She knew the only reason they'd lingered this long was because of her. Hibiki didn't want to be the reason they got caught in an ambush. "Let's go." He nods, makes a move out motion with his hand. They take off.

The pace while not particularly fast was quite difficult for her at the moment in her current state. But they can't stop. There isn't time for that. Hibiki knows she's slowly them down as is, that can't be helped. So when it happens. She's really not surprised.

Wounded and week made the best prey. Akito's ear perk up, the dog lets out a feral growl. A kunai flies through the air, she barely dodges. The staff is in her bandaged fingers blocking the attack. She's low on chakra, further from the group who have now started to head towards her. Hibiki bites her lip then, she knows what she must do. Her eyes meet Sakumo's

"Proceed with the objective." She ties a scroll to Akito's collar, giving him a silent but clear order. The village needed that. Sakumo stops and his tracks his eyes frost over. She couldn't be suggesting what he thought.

He made another move forward and she let out an irritated scowl at him. "Don't you dare!" She proceeded with her advance, the shinobi who'd originally attacked her made an attempt for the dog. Hibiki made a swipe at him with the staff.

"Oh no, your fight is with me." She could hold him off and the few others of his party long enough for her team to get away. Hibiki knew she might not survive this, but it was the best shot those she loved had.

Sakumo clenches his fist, because he knows she's right. She's the only one who can stay and fight. The medic needs to be at camp, Hizashi has to deliver the information back to the leaf and he has to make sure they make it back to camp. Hibiki is expendable and she knows it. He grits his teeth, everything about this feels wrong and dirty.

He turns his back on her, it's possibly the worst he's ever felt. Sakumo will never forgive himself for leaving her there. They pick up the pace, going faster than before. Taking the chance she'd just given them.

Hibiki lets out the breath she'd been holding once there chakra is out of her range. She's alone, she's outnumbered, she should be terrified, but in that moment all she can feel is a quiet rage. "Hato go after them!" The jonin she's fighting yells at one of his underlings, her eyes narrow at him she uses her free hand to pull and exploding tag already attached to a kunai from her pouch and without changing her focus she hurls the tag/kunai combo at the ninja.

It hits him square between the shoulder blades. The explosion echoes around the small clearing, the backlash sends them both flying. She lands sloppily, her hands drag across the dirt further irritating her already damaged fingers. Flinging dust into her eyes, they begin to itch and water slightly, she bites back a pain induced groan.

Now is not the time.

She's slow to get back up on her feet, her staff lost, and not enough chakra for lighting conversion. Quickly, as fast as she can manage in that state she runs through the hand sighs for the 'great fireball jutsu' favored of the Uchiha clan. The flames start to build in her throat, and dies there.

A blood covered hand is wrapped around her neck, his nails dug into her neck. Desperately she grasped at his hand trying to pry it off her. Gasping for air, her lungs began to burn. Her vision began to blur. Spots of black obscuring his face.

The thought hit her without any empathy, without tact or warning. She was going to die here. Hibiki saw red, no longer able to hold it back. Her hands stopped moving, she stopped struggling. There was no point fighting it now.

Fighting instinct in a life or death situation was dangerously stupid. Hibiki had to live. She had no time to be dying. Especially not here, not now. There was still so much work to be done. So much life left to live.

The killer intent flooded the clearing, deep permeating intent. Chocking the other two shinobi in there spots, they dropped to their knees. No one should be cable of such killer intent, least not someone like her. She wrapped a single hand around his wrist, his grip on her throat loosened from the sudden onslaught of her intent. A loud cracking noise echoes in the silent clearing. He takes a step back in fear, clutching his broken wrist, eyes wide.

Blue-gray eyes spun into black on red.

Fire rekindles in her throat and the world around her burns. Darkness follows as she falls.

 **XOXOX**

 **DUN DUN DUN… Until next time;)**

 **Thank you so much for reading and letting me know you guys think! Means a lot.**

 **I hope you have a good night!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	9. Chapter 9

" _She had put despair and fear aside, as if they were garments she did not choose to wear."_ _ **~George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones**_

 **.9**

There's one thing she knows with absolute certainty upon waking up. Wherever she is it is not a safe or friendly place. Everything else is a sort of vague feeling of certainty. She's bound, her wrist are tied above her head. Her feet are barely touching the cold ground beneath them, her shoes are gone. It's not the only article of coverage she missing either, she's been stripped of her chunin vest and her blue combat shirt, the only garment she still had on were thick black leggings.

The pieces were missing, the last thing she remembered was blacking out. Her eyes still burned, but they no longer itched from having the sharringan activated. A small relief in that. Everything hurts, her veins felt like they'd dried in her skin, her bones ached, her muscles were sore, the angle she was suspended from didn't help either.

This was beginning to feel like the opening of a barbaric interrogation scene. Through the darkness of the (cave?room? she wasn't sure) she could make out the silhouette of another person. They were standing a few feet from her, breathing easily, observing her. The conclusion comes easily, this is her captor. "No need to be so quiet, I know you're awake." A distinctively male voice speaks, the tone sinister. There is a promise of terrible things to come lingering in it.

Hibiki revels in the silence. She does not dignify his comment, instead she ignores him. What kind of game were they about to play? He steps closer to her then, his face had fresh claw marks running diagonal across it. This must have been the man sensei was fighting originally, those marks looked like something Akito would have caused. His hand clasped around her jaw forcing her to look at him.

"Cat got your tongue? Afraid?" His tone snide, her eyes narrow. Fear was irrelative. She remains quiet. He releases her jaw.

"Figures, I saw you fight my two teammates on the battlefield, and later surrounded by the corpses of my dead squad mates, including my second in command. I should have known better." He sounds almost disappointed, almost, there is a hint of veneration in the mix.

Slowly he circles her, like a predator would its prey. She follows his movements with her eyes. "They underestimated you, that's one them. I won't be making that mistake." The foreign electric current shoots up her side, attacking her nerves, Hibiki bites down hard onto her lip until the blood runs down her chin.

He looks pleased. Standing in front of her with a satisfied expression. She hates him for it and snarls like a feral beast, Hibiki spits in his face. The blood and saliva mix slides down his cheek and he doesn't even flinch. His grin on widens. "Oh this is going to be so much fun." There is a bucket in his hand, and she doesn't have to think long on what's its purpose is. Before he leaves, he douses her in ice cold water.

It drips off her flesh, off what little clothes she still had on, mats her dirty mud and blood caked hair to her face shoulders and back. Her head falls she can see the water pooling at her feet. A smirk begins to pull at her lips. The human body could only withstand so much pain before it would just shut down, the limit varied between subjects and he was going to find out just what she was capable of.

She doesn't know how much times passes between his visits, days, hours, weeks she doesn't know. Isolation blocks all concept of time. Hibiki learns things from each of his visits, the first is that it is in a fact a small underground facility an old abandon research lab of sorts. He's a jonin, and a member of Iwa version of T&I. His name she doesn't bother to remember, all she can think about is how much she hates him. He is also not the only enemy here.

He's grown tired of the game he started, he doesn't speak to her anymore unless to ask specific questions. Now he only comes in to douse her in ice cold water then pump her nerve system with enough electricity to keep her immobile. She's covered in burn marks and bruises, and to make matters worse he'd started bloodletting. As if the shock to her body from the electricity wasn't bad enough. Hibiki blocks the rest of it from her mind, she tries desperately not to think about it.

It's better in the long run if she just doesn't think about it.

.

Inoichi doesn't think he's ever seen his old sensei this angry. The man had been radiating small amounts of killer intent since his squad returned from the front nearly a month ago. It was getting to the point where the silver haired jonin was getting very hard to work with. They'd returned back to camp minus one member of their squad. Hibiki sacrificed herself for them, his blood boiled every time he thought about it. The blonde understood his sensei rage. He watched as Sakumo went over tactics with the second in command of the camp. Sakumo is oozing in self-destructive nature, his eyes are hard set on what they're going over.

Inoichi is worried about him. No one in that mental state should be leading, but they didn't have very many options. This post was further out than any of their others. The only reason he was here instead of any of the others was because Sakumo had requested it. He doesn't know how to feel about that fact.

He could have still been in the village, away from the front running T&I even if it wasn't the same without her there. But instead he was on the front line standing in the same camp she had, looking at several of the same people she did. People she'd given so much of herself for to keep them safe. Sakumo looks over to him asking him what he thinks of what they've found.

"Inoichi?" The blonde stares down at the map, at the markers where they'd discovered an entrance to some sort of underground facility. Her sarcastic tone, a memory echoed in his eyes. _A secret lair? It's a trap._ He stares at the spot, it's roughly ten miles from their location. It's not guarded, there seems to be absolutely no strategic value for it. Apparently abandoned.

But… If she was alive, and he wasn't going to give himself any amount of false hope here, because Akito and Sakumo had returned to the field where they left her and she was gone. It had been bad, smelt of burnt flesh everything in the area had died from whatever had happened. So Inoichi didn't want to give himself a false hope. But if she was alive, he had this feeling that's where'd she would be.

He's not a tactician like Shikaku, he couldn't predict nine moves ahead like Hibiki could, but he was skilled and he knew the inside out of the human mind better than anyone. The facility wouldn't be abandoned. If he was an Iwa shinobi who knew the area, who had working knowledge of the suspected hideout that's where'd he would hold out. At the moment they had Leaf shinobi in every corner of the sad excuse of a forest in a surrounding 8 mile radius. It would be just outside of the scouting range, a perfect place to hole up until reinforcements could arrive.

They'd predicted another week before more of Iwa reached them again. He told them that too. Sakumo's mouth formed a thin line, sometimes he hated being right. Whatever he was about to say died on his tongue. The earth quaked, thick black smoke could be seen over the tops of the small trees, coming from the direction of the very location they'd just been discussing.

Sakumo gave quick orders, they needed to know what that was.

.

He staggers back, blood dripping down his arm a mixture of two, he falls to the ground. She's made a fool out of him. After a month he'd began to get sloppy, he thought he'd figured out all her moves. But he'd never even considered this. It shouldn't have been possible, the reports on who she was never mentioned anything like this.

Fire surrounded them. The flames don't seem to have any lasting effect on her as if they are a manifestation of her own will. He should have known better. This whole time instead of draining her supply of chakra like he did with all his subjects he'd only be charging her up. Then again he hadn't seen her whole fight with his former students. If he had, he would have never shot her full of electricity.

Lightning crackles around her arm starting from shoulder and ending at the tips of her fingers. The whirring noise it makes is intense, his balance in beginning to waver. There's only so much pressure the human ear can take before it burst. She's been planning this since their first encounter.

She takes a step forward, her steps careful she stumbles slightly before regaining her footing. The blood beneath her feet squish between her toes. He pinned in place there is nowhere for him to go so he watches with a strange fascination as she touches her clothe covered thigh sending the lighting straight into the pool of blood, her blood, blood he's covered in.

The ground crackles to life, the lighting livid all around them.

If only he'd known what sort of specimen he'd had here. Surely he would have taken better care of her then. Her eyes alone would have earned him a fortune. The knowledge he would have gotten from her wouldn't compare. He still hadn't broken her.

The flames start too nipped at his clothes, the lighting starts eating at his toes, and suddenly she leaning over him. Those deadly ruby eyes staring down into his own brown orbs. He's never seen someone look so frail and yet so dangerous at one time. What did Konoha feed there shinobi?

She's pulling him up by his neck, he struggles against her sudden inhuman strength. Where had this come from? Was this the power of the sharringan? He couldn't blink, couldn't look away, he watched with fixated eyes as three tomoe turn into millions of cracks, making her eyes appear more black than red. There was a vague sense of shattered glass in their appearance.

"Tsukoyumi." Her voice is deadly, and he is pulled into a differently reality. The reality is painted in shades of red encased by mirrors. She's sitting on a pillar that overlooks the whole world.

His arms are bound above his head, like he'd done to her. The rope is continuously pulling and tightening around his wrist. It feels real. She leaps off the pillar with such grace, landing in front of him like a cat. As she stands a spear appears in her hand, she pushes the blade into his stomach. Then there's another, and another, and another version of her doing the same thing over and over again. Trapping him in the moment.

Hibiki drops him after a second, content with the damage she had cause. His screams bounce around the room. He'd never recovered from what she'd done. That is if he was actually going to make it out alive and as far as she was concerned he wasn't. She steps around his corpse, just in time to avoid a kunai soaring her way. Her eyes connect with the weapon and it shatters into a million pieces.

"Oh kami." Her foot makes contact with their stomach sending flying down the hallway. Another person tries for her head. She has no visible weapons, has been drained of half her blood, been beaten and suffered through electric shook torture. It shouldn't be that hard to take her out.

Except, they all thought she was a simple chunin. A simple chunin would have died after a week or two, spilled the beans and accepted their fate. Hibiki was not a simple chunin. But she was losing what little bit of chakra she'd stored up during this time fast with the duel use of the Mangekyo, something she hadn't intended on using yet. It's time to end this.

There's only one thought on her mind, one singular thought. She had to get back to him. Back to her brother, to protect him. That wasn't something she could do if she was trapped in some backwoods Iwa lair. It's his picture, his smiling face kept safely in the back of her mind that keeps her going when she has so little left to give.

Hibiki couldn't break her promise. She wouldn't. He still needed her. Obito keeps her going. The memory of his smile fuels everything to follow.

She pumps her chakra down to bare feet shooting across the stone covered ground faster than anything they were prepared for. Hibiki speeds through the required hand signs of the phoenix flower. "Katon." They're not as big as they could be, but fire still burns, especially when it catches on clothing and hair. Those things held natural oils and sweat making them very flame friendly. Besides this wasn't what she needed to be wasting chakra on. Right now all needed to do was get far away from compound and the large exploding tag she'd set up in her cell.

It was due to go off at any moment and it was a blast she did not want to be caught in. She dodges another attack, throwing that person into another the entrance clear insight. Just a few more steps and she was free.

A kunai embedded in her shoulder, she snarls whipping her head around probably giving herself whiplash. It's the woman she'd kicked down the opposing hallway was clutching at her abdomen. Surely the force should have killed her. Hibiki pulled the knife out angrily hurling it back at the woman. It nailed the heavily breathing konouchi in the eye, embedding itself deep into her skull she fell forward a second later.

Hibiki pushed every last ounce of her chakra into her feet, the sun burns her eyes. She staggered forward. With just time enough to spare to get less than a half mile away before the compound went up in a roaring blast and the caved in on itself burying every person still inside alive. The remnants of the blast pushed her forward sending her straight into a tree. Her body crashed through it, the wind knocked completely out of her. Everything burns.

Her body feels like it had been through a whirlwind, everything ached, for the first time in a long time it was mostly her own doing as well. Through the ringing of her ears she can distantly hear the sound of people fast approaching. She laid there, motionless, Hibiki didn't have anything else left to give.

Her breathing began to slow, her eye lids became heaving still itching from the sharingan. She doesn't have the strength to deactivate them. Everything felt heavy. "Master over here!" Something speaks, they're close to her, but she can barely hear them.

A dog's muzzle nudges her face, its wet nose cold against her cheek. Akito. She smiles faintly. Suddenly there is someone right next to her hunched over her, his hand cups under her head. Their eyes meet. Hibiki reaches up, her blood covered hand touches his cheek. "Sensei." Her eyes begin to drop, he pulls her half into his lap calling for a medic.

"Hey, hey, eyes on me." Her body was slowly becoming weightless, her hand begins to fall. He keeps it in its place holding her hand to his face.

"Come on Hibi, keep 'em open." Eyelids drop again, there's something warm dripping down the side of her face. Someone is shouting orders over them, another person dips down next to them. Inoichi. She smiles at both of them.

The medic is forcing herself between the trios, a flat expression on her face. She runs a glowing green hand over the girl's body before trying to get them to move.

"I'm glad." Her hand goes limp, no longer pressing against Sakumo's face, it falls hitting the ground with a small thud. The medic forces them away in a frantic. There loosing her.

Hibiki's eyes roll to the back of her head.

 **XOXOX**

 **OMG! SO I'm beginning to think I lied, this is not lighter than PoC. My bad. I'm terrible at fight scenes so please let me know what you think! Thank you so much for reading.**

 **Also if you are interested I was listening to 'Between the Wars' by Allman Brown while writing majority of this.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	10. Chapter 10

" _I've got a fear, oh in my blood. That she was carried up into the clouds high above. If you bled, I bleed the same. If you're scared, I'm on my way."_ _ **~Where's My Love-SYML**_

 _ **.10**_

It takes everything in her power not to burst into tears the first time she sees the younger girl since her leave for the border. She's barely alive, her body is covered in bruises and burns, her skin pale and blotchy. Hibiki looks like a ghost. A ghost who was currently relying on a machine to keep her alive.

Kushina has no idea how they even got her home. Where they'd been stationed was two weeks from the village and that was if you travelled at full pace. All she knows is that it had to be a miracle. That was a month ago, the bruises, burns and broken bones had healed but they'd still give her trouble when she woke up.

No one could tell the Uzumaki when that would be. So every day she could she came to sit the unconscious girl for extended periods of time. Hibiki shouldn't be alone. When she woke up, Kushina didn't want her to wake up alone.

Today she had company, she squeezed one of their shoulders. The ten year old stood frozen in the door. This was his first time seeing his sister like this, Kushina was happy he hadn't been present when they brought her in. It would have broken him. She nudged him into the room. Minato followed silently behind them.

"Can I hold her hand?" Obito asks quietly as he settles in one of the chairs by the bed. Kushina gives him a soft smile. She usually did.

"I'm sure she'd like that." Minato tells him gently, knowing just how hard this was for his student. He still remember what exactly Obito had yelled at her before she left. By the look on the Uchiha's face he still remembered too.

They don't speak much after that, the only noise that fills the small hospital room is the slow rhythmic beats of the monitor and oxygen pump. Obito decides half way through the visit that he wants to talk to her, if she hears him she'll know she's safe, that she's not alone. He asks Minato-sensei if he thinks that will be alright. Minato gives a small nod of his head.

So Obito does, partly to fill the silence, as his ten year old brain could only take so much, but also because Hibiki always listened to him. She was always there for him, so he could be there for her. It's what siblings were for. He rambles, talking quietly, about anything and everything he can think of all the things he wanted her to know. Minato and Kushina interject there two cents in his stories every now and again but they mostly let him do the speaking.

When the time for visitation had ended, only then do they get up to leave. Minato and Kushina have already started for the door, he takes a moment, lingers. Obito leans up on the bed and kisses her forehead like she does him. If they noticed or realized the significance in the gesture they don't comment. Kushina suggest ramen, extending the offer to the genin but he declines. His grandmother is expecting him home soon.

As the door closes behind them, her fingers twitch.

.

Kushina isn't the only one who regularly visits Hibiki. Her entire squad stops by at random, never at the same time either. There is always someone on the visiting log, even if the name given doesn't always match the person in the room. Today is no different.

Sakumo doesn't intend to stay long, pushes the hair out of her face before taking a seat. He reaches out to hold her hand. Hibiki was his student. If he was honest she was his favorite student, she was the most like him. But that's not the reason why she was his favorite. She never gave up. On anything or anybody. She loved fiercely. Blindly.

Just like Moriko had. Her mother had been a very capable woman, a fierce woman. Moriko died for Hibiki, died protecting her only child. Leaving the small girl in the care of those she cared about. The late Uzumaki Mito had taken her in without even blinking. Hibiki's grandmother had been her best friend, she loved both Moriko and Hibiki like her own family. When the Shodai's wife died sealing the nine-tails into Kushina, it was Atsuko who took over to make sure Hibiki had a good life. He kept watch over his late teammate's daughter from a far. It wasn't until she graduated the academy that they had their first interaction. She was so much like her mother that it hurt.

He tried to be a good sensei for her, and sometimes he doesn't think he failed them too bad. Inoichi became head of T&I at the young age of seventeen. Hibiki was one the best coders that their village had produced, but you'd never know it. She hid her true skill level, for years, so no one would know when they looked at her that she was in fact an A level threat. The greatest lie ever told, the one that convinced you she wasn't someone to worry about, that she was just a simple chunin intelligence officer.

That would be over now. There was no more hiding for her. The Sandaime was promoting her to full jonin for her efforts, for everything she did to make sure the information got back to the village. For protecting her teammates. When she woke up, he knew she wasn't going to be happy about it either.

Hibiki never wanted to be known as a hero. It just wasn't her style. He knows she'll claim to have done what any other leaf shinobi would have done. But he knows that's not true, not everyone could be as rational as she was.

He starts to let go of her hand, there was still work to be done. Right now he was to preserve the only secret she had left. No one can know about her Uchiha connection. It would place her under a scrutiny that he doesn't think she should have to deal with. Sakumo had to make sure that those who saw, the few who did weren't going to talk about it.

The Hatake clan head knew he could get into a lot of trouble for hiding something like that from the village, from the Uchiha clan. But he'd cross that bridge when he got there.

He squeezes her hands, and for a second it almost feels like she squeezed back. Slowly he shakes his head giving one last look to her unconscious form. Perhaps he had imagined it. Sakumo leaves the room in a very Hibiki manor, through the window.

He doesn't see the small movement in her toes, or the fluttering of movement of her eyes under her eyelids.

.

Her senses come back gradually, hearing, touch, and smell. As if there building up to something. Sometimes she hears them speaking, although their voices seem far away. Distant, like fading echoes. She doesn't know how long she'd been in this state. Sinking, into deep murky water, empty. But it feels like an eternity. There are occasions when she's closer to the surface as if she's not really drowning. Those instances are happening more and more, they are closer together now. As if she can almost break the surface entirely, in those occasions is when she begins to hear them.

People are always in and out of the room, she can hear them, even when their voices blur together. She knows they're there. They reach out for her, the vague sensation of someone holding her hand is not lost through the waves.

She briefly wonders what is going on, memories lost to the depths of the water. The deep pulls back at her trying to force her back down again. Drowning her ability to think clearly. It's a fight she can't win. So she keeps haphazardly floating. Just waiting. Maybe someone will come for her. Someone will save her.

It is one of these instances of barely breaking the surface when for the first time the voices are no longer just echoes. They're clear, she can almost pick out who they belong too. She'd give anything to be back with them.

They haunt her.

For a while after that she just drifts. Aimlessly. Waiting to hear their voices again. The next time someone comes she begins to register something else. Feeling, phantom pains. They reach out to her, grasping their hand in hers holding onto it as they're afraid. The hand feels small, perhaps it is a child's hand. He speaks. _"Do you think nee-san would want to hear stories?"_ An alarm goes off, loudly, it disrupts the flow of the water under her. As if her mind can focus now on only one thing.

The only thing that have ever mattered. The alarm inside her head grows louder, screaming at her.

Obito! That voice belongs to Obito.

She had to get back to him! She promised. The water begin smashing into her then, trying to force her back under. Hibiki starts fighting and on the outside her fingers begin to twitch. After a while the waters around her begin to settle again as her will wavers. Silence.

People flow in and out of her room. She's never truly alone, but sometimes she feels as she's the only one. As if the voices are just hopeless dreams. Sometimes she thinks that she can almost reach up, touch them back. Hibiki doesn't want to be alone anymore.

She squeezes back.

More time passes, she doesn't have a good grasp on what that actually means or how it translates to world outside of this one. She longs to be free of the waters, longs to be back with them. But she feels trapped here. No matter what she does she cannot break the surface fully.

The voices grow louder, the touch feels more real. For the first time she registers something else. Smell. Antiseptics with an odd floral mix. Someone has brought her flowers. They take hold of her hand.

"You need to wake up, I'm not sure how much more of this any of us can take. We miss you." The voice is soft, a whisper, and their tone distraught. Hibiki longs to reach out for them, to comfort them. She missed them too.

Her hand is released, she suddenly feels very empty. _No!_ She wanted to scream _. Come back! Don't leave me!_ But she can't, the waters start to rise around her. Pushing her down, trying to break her. She lets them. Then something hits her. They'd given her all the tools, she realizes as she begins to sink. There is only one way back to them.

Up.

She fights, the waters lash out to her trying to pull her under. This time she doesn't just give up. She doesn't let go, her will is strong enough. They need her, she doesn't want to be alone anymore, she needs them.

Hibiki stops, why is she fighting the water? That was a waste of energy. She doesn't have to fight the current she only has to swim with it. Make it fight for her. Make it bend to her will.

She was no longer drowning. No longer just drifting. No longer empty, aimlessly floating. There was still so much she needed to do. Instead she was swimming, determined. She would get back to them. No matter what.

Her hands break the surface. Hibiki pulls herself out of the water, head first, then her torso, until little by little her whole body is above the surface. Slowly she stands, steadying herself on the waves. The unsettle waters become still. She takes a step, and another, and another up until she reaches what appears to be sand. She digs her toes into it the water laps at her feet but no longer is touching her. A smile settles over her face, she turns away from the waters.

And her eyes open.

The light is blinding at first, it assaults her eyes. Bliding her momentarily. Her entire body feels like stone. There is a slow rhythmic beat of the monitor in her ear. She gives her eyes a moment to adjust before taking a look around the room. It was familiar, safe.

Something clatters to the ground making a loud thud as it hits, carefully she turns her head to see what the noise is. Everything is still fuzzy. Before she can get her eyes to focus on them there are two arms wrapping around her neck. A face burying itself into her shoulder, followed by something wet hitting her exposed skin.

Her arms feel heavy but she wraps them slowly around the person's small frame. Fingers intertwine in his hair. She never going to let him go. He's mumbling apologizies into her shoulder and all she can think about is how happy she is that's he's here.

"Oh my, Uzumaki-san she's awake!" She hears a nurse call down the hallway. But she doesn't care. Hibiki is home. Something wet slides down her cheek, was she crying?

Kushina is next by her side, she pulling both Hibiki and Obito into a hug since it didn't seem like he was going to let go anytime soon. After a moment, Hibiki groans in a slight discomfort causing both her brother and best friend to let go of her. Obito settles into her side once she's convinced him that she is in fact alright. The Uzumaki girl settles at the foot of the bed, keeping a hand on hers. A nurse comes in to take her vitals and ask her a few questions. Routine stuff.

Hibiki answers to the best of her abilities, but everything is still hazy, so she knows she's forgetting things. Her other hand the one Kushina is not holding hostage is wrapped around Obito's head her fingers running lightly through his hair. She squeezes Kushina's hand lightly, trying to memorize the feeling.

"I heard you." She tells him softly after the nurse has left. Hibiki carefully leans down to kiss his forehead. Her lips feel dry but she doesn't care. He buries his face further into her side and she just holds him.

Kushina leans forward to brush a strand of hair out of Hibiki's face. "You won by the way." She tells Hibiki after a moment, her tone light. Hibiki gave her a questioning look.

"Mikoto had a boy." The red head elaborates, Hibiki smiled. But doesn't comment.

Atsuko arrives shortly thereafter, taking a seat in the chair right next to the bed. The old woman reaches forwards and pats Hibik's leg under the blanket. "Welcome home." Kushina stands then slowly letting go of her hand. It wouldn't be long before the news spread and the room would be full. There were a lot of people who'd be happy to see that Hibiki was awake and she didn't want them to overwhelm her.

"I'll come by tomorrow, and I'll try to hold everyone off til then. You had us worried." She leans down and gives her friend another small hug. Hibiki gives her another small smile. Atsuko and Kushina shared a look before the Uzumaki woman leaves.

Kushina gives a small smile over her shoulder before shutting the door behind her. She was glad.

Atsuko reached for Hibiki's now free hand, running small circles over the cold skin. It would take time for their usual warmth to return. She squeezed her adopted granddaughter's hand. Hibiki gave a light squeeze back her face joyful.

She was happy to be back. Content. The fight well worth it. They were worth it. It was the happiest she'd felt in such a long time. Tears started running down her cheeks. Atsuko leaned forward and whipped them away.

"There is no more need for tears, we are together again." Hibiki smiled through the tears.

"There happy, I'm happy. It's good to be back." Atsuko nodded her head in consolidation. Obito sat up then, readjusting to lean his head against her shoulder. She rested her head on top of his.

She was home.

 **XOXOX**

 **I hope this makes up for how dark last chapter was. I had fun writing this chapter. Explanation for Hibiki's waking up process, disclaimer I have never been in a coma but I do suffer from sleep paralysis and what I described for the process is something I have legitimately gone through as consequence of the sleep paralysis. I apologize if it doesn't make a lot of sense or if it sounds funny.**

 **Thank you for reading and letting me know what you think! You guys are the best!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	11. Chapter 11

" _There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love."_ **~Washington Irving  
**

**.11**

Sakumo had been right. Hibiki wasn't in fact happy about her the two jump promotion she'd been given. The frown was still on her face ten minutes after he told her. She was sitting up in the hospital bed, under at least three layers of blankets. Fully awake and frowning. He rolled his eyes at her expression.

"But why?" She actually whined, he snorted at her expense. Glad to see that she was beginning to act herself again.

"Sandaime's orders. Don't question it." He shakes his head as she pouts. Hibiki crosses her arms over her chest.

"Do you know how much more paper work I'm going to have to do?" She questions as if he doesn't know how much she actually enjoys paper work. Her intelligence clearance was just as high as a Jonin's so it wasn't like it would be added that much more to her work load. He fixes her with a pointed look.

"First of all, you actually like doing paperwork and second it's going to be at least another month before you will return to work." His tone is half serious, she huffs. As if the concept of down time annoys her.

It probably did. Sakumo lets out a sigh. She was too much like him sometimes for her own good. He pats her blanket covered leg and makes a mental note to bring the pack with him during his next visit. They were worried about her too, especially his pack leader Akito. Besides himself, Hibiki was Akito favorite human. The teen was always very kind to the dog. Hibiki was kind to everyone.

"You make it sound like I'm a workaholic." Hibiki had a petulant look her face, he snorted standing slowly.

"You are, get some rest. I'll see you later." He leaves through the window and he wondered why it was her preferred method of entering his house. Hibiki leans back into the pillow. Thoroughly exhausted.

She still hadn't regained a lot of her strength, there was no way she was even close to going back to work. Even if she wanted too and for the record she really didn't. Not yet at least. Hibiki knew she needed to actually take time and recover. Especially if she wanted to go back to field work. Although desk work for an undetermined amount of time sounded really appeasing at the moment. A small sigh escapes her lips.

A little while later Kushina stopped by with a treat. The red head sat in the chair her teacher had occupied earlier and they talked while munching on mochi. "Mikoto is probably going to come by tomorrow with Itachi, they've finally been clear to leave the manor." Kushina tells her once the sweets are gone. Hibiki finds herself smiling.

"I can't wait to meet HIM." She smirks in the red head's direction, now that the relief of being awake has cleared she can revel in her victory. Even if she's cheated. Kushina huffed at her.

"You're never going to let it go are you?" She questions, her tone sarcastic. Hibiki gives a small nod of her head in confirmation.

"Absolutely not." Kushina groans, a bit dramatically if you asked the younger teen.

"I hear that they're going to move you to outpatient by the end of the next week if your PT keeps going as well as it is." Hibiki nodded her head, internally groaning at the concept of her physical theory. She was just glad her muscle hadn't atrophied then it would have been so much worse.

"Anything to get out of here, and back in my own apartment. To control the heat of my own room." She answered wistfully. Kushina snickered at her.

"How many blankets have managed to have brought to you now?" The red head eyes the layers her friend is under a bit suspiciously. Hbiki grins.

"Three, plus two hospital issued ones. Atsuko-obaa brought me two of her handmade quilts and then I convinced sensei that bringing me the fur blanket that he never uses.-" "The one he keeps thrown over the chair in the living room?" Hibiki nods before continuing. "-Yep. So five in total and it's still cold as Iron in here." Kushina shakes her head. Only Hibiki would compare a hospital perpetual low kept temperature setting to a foreign country. One that was usually covered in snow.

Kushina gave the teen an unimpressed look, then it turned into concern. "Didn't the nurse say something along the lines of feeling really cold being a side effect of…" The words died on her tongue. Hibiki cast her eyes down at her hands.

"Yes, feeling cold, unusually so can be a side effect of the type of torture I went through and the following coma." Her voice was quiet, her eyes lost the previous light in them. Fingers dig into the covers as she tries to push away the remnants of memories. Hibiki wanted to forget it ever happened.

She wouldn't.

Kushina reaches forward, she lays her hand over the girl's shaking hands. She offers her friend the most reassuring smile she can muster at the moment. "It will get better." Her words though spoken with good intentions, do more harm than good. Hibiki isn't confident like Kushina, she doesn't do blind faith, she needs proof to believe. Right now there is none.

So how could she know? How could Kushina sound so sure? What if it didn't? What if mentally she never recovered from this? Hibiki couldn't push the doubts away. It felt like she was at the edge of a cliff and that anything could tip her over. Silence became them.

Hibiki couldn't find the words to speak after that, and so they sat together in the quiet for a little while longer. Kushina eventually left as she had to report into the mission's desk and file a mission report. The dark haired girl was alone. She found herself staring out the window, longing after a while. The idea struck moments later.

It was absolutely a terrible one too. But she longed to be free of this confinement. The white walls of the hospital room we're beginning to feel like a mockery. Healing took time, and she was growing impatient. She was no longer connected to IV's or even the heart monitor, the nurse wouldn't come to check in on her again until dusk, they wouldn't even realize if she momentary stepped out.

It wasn't a good idea.

Hibiki threw the blanket back, exposing her legging cover legs and sock covered feet. She was freezing in here. A little sun wouldn't hurt. The question now was if she could make it out the window without hurting her progress. It wasn't like this was one of the higher floors either, it probably wasn't even be that bad of a drop.

She grabbed the crutch that was leaned against the wall next to her bed. Limped carefully over to the half opened window. The drop was maybe, maybe 10-feet. Hibiki took her chances, and dropped the crutch first. Her sock covered feet hit the ground next with a light thud, the grass beneath them warm to the touch. Carefully she stood fully, adjusting the wooden crutch under her arm and took a step forward.

She could do this.

Hibiki eventually ended up at her apartment, she needed a sweater and shoes before continue her little miss-adventure. She wondered if the hospital staff realized she'd left or not. It wasn't like they could really make her stay, she was an adult and could theoretically make these decisions for herself. Although she should have probably just checked herself out in hindsight. It wasn't like they weren't planning on moving her to outpatient soon. Also she was Hatake Sakumo's student so they should have expected her to try to leave. The teen tries desperately to rationalize her spontaneous outing.

It's no wonder she ended up here.

Her hand brushed along the cold surface of the marble stone, fingers memorizing the grove of the names. New ones had been added since she'd last been here. People she knew, shinobi she worked with, fought with, some she's even witnessed die. The crutch under her arm buckled from the weight and she collapsed to the ground. Her still frail limbs screamed in protest.

She'd almost become one of those names.

The reality broke her, tears streamed angrily down her face. She cried. Burring her face into her hands, everything she'd been holding in since she woke, all of her mixed feelings, all of her pain came flooding out. Her tears eventually dried on her rosy cheeks, eyes puffy, throat sore. Hibiki readjusted her position of crumbled at the base of the memorial stone. Carefully she leaned her back against the step, pulling her protesting legs up to her chest, still barely holding herself together.

This is how he finds her. Leaned against the stone, her arms wrapped around her legs, face buried in the top on her knees. He's not surprised. With a great amount of reverence he takes a seat next to her. She doesn't acknowledge his presence. But she does shift ever so slightly closer to him. He wraps one arm around her shoulder. As if to say, _you are not alone._

The mind walker knows her. He likes to that he knows her better than anyone else. Because he knows, and that knowledge is power. He is the only one she ever told. That this life, was not her first. She had lived a life before this and it had ended tragically too soon. It still haunted her. Of course there were things she hadn't told him about, things that he knew she never would. But it is this knowing, this understanding of the how that draws him to her.

She leaned into his side, her breathing beginning to even out. There were no more tears to be cried. He doesn't speak, doesn't try to scold her for being irresponsible, he's just there. Sitting quietly next to her, silently telling her that she is not alone. That this isn't something she has to go through by herself.

"I nearly died." Hibiki mutters, speaking the truth out loud. Making it real. She can deny quiet thoughts and small whispers. But spoken words, they can never truly be ignored. Not for long, or forever.

His posture stiffens slightly, as if he hadn't expected her to speak as if he thought she'd just continue to ignore it. Hibiki always hated the harsh truth, the bleak reality that was the world around them. He figured she'd hate this one too. As he did. As they all did.

They'd almost lost her.

She had nearly died, they thought she wouldn't make it back to the village. It had been a feet keeping her breathing, keeping her heart pumping. He doesn't know how the medic did it, how exactly the saved her life. And he doesn't care. All that matter was that she was in fact alive.

"It was touch and go for a while." He murmurs back after a moment, as if he hadn't wanted to admit it.

She takes in his words, pondering over them. Drawing in a long breath, her eyes close with the light flutter of her lashes. He watches her think. Painting a picture in his mind, the light flush her face, the smooth curve of her cheeks, the small fall and rise of her chest, every little detail he commits to memory.

Because the other image of her, the one stuck in his mind, the one he can seem to get to leave him is the one of her dying in sensei's arm. Bleeding and broken, the bruises around her neck, the fresh burn marks running up her side, mangled limbs. And while those things are forever burned into his brain, it's not the one that haunts him the most. Her eyes, black on red, rolling to the back of her head her heart stopping and the frantic cry of the medic as she forces life back into Hibiki. That's the one he will never be able to forget.

So he wants to commit to memory as many good as he can. Because the bad is awful, and for every time he thinks of it he wants to replace it with a post picture of her smiling, happy, alive. He takes everything in. The alternative hurts too much.

After a while she reopens her eyes, he memorized that as well. Her gray/blue eyes are no longer swimming in hurt. She appears to have accepted whatever internal battle she was fighting. "Ready to go?" He questions lightly, Hibiki nods her head.

A groan escapes her lips, as if something has just hit her. "I can't get up." The smile on her face is embarrassed. He shakes his head, unwrapping his arm from around her shoulders. Slowly he stands dusting off his pants before leaning down and hocking one arm under her knees. His other arm holds her around the lower back. She doesn't make much protest on the matter, as they both know she won't actually be able to walk on her own.

Hibiki leans her head against his shoulder and wraps one arm around his neck. Helping to support herself. As if she thought she was heavy. She's not, at the moment it feels like she mostly skin and bones. Her muscle tone was mostly gone and it would be a while before she'd be allowed to start really working on gaining it back.

"Thank you Ino." She mumbles into his shoulder, he smiles.

"No problem." He carries her away from there, heading back in the direction of the hospital.

The crutch laid forgotten against the stone.

 **XOXOX**

 **Thank you so much for reading the last chapter and letting me know what you think! Your reviews really help me write! SO please keep letting me know how you are feeling about the chapters. You guys are the best!**

 **I hope you like this chapter, I promise in the next chapter we will have more interesting plot things going on. But I did want to show some of Hibiki's mental recovery here and how she's copping with all of it.**

 **Also I think it's good for someone to be in on the secret. Not the one where she's living in a world surrounded by fictional characters. But the fact the she is in fact a reincarnate and this is not her first life. Who better to trust with that that your teammate? Someone you've entrusted your life too. So yeah.**

 **Thank you for reading! Please continue to let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome too, everything helps.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	12. Chapter 12

" _It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."_ **~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**

 **.12**

She's leaning heavily on the crutch, standing in the middle of her very dusty office, just leaning heavily on the crutch as she looks over the paperwork handed to her that morning. Her limbs, even after a month long coma and another month and a half of post coma therapy they we're still giving her trouble even now. Especially her leg, the shock torture had not been good for her nerves and she'd torn all sorts of muscle and ligaments in her knee during the escape. So she was still using a crutch.

Hibiki was beginning to resent the standing aid. She was sure it was giving her a permanent bruise under her arm. Growing frustrated with the thing she leaned against her desk letting the crutch fall the floor. The door was closed so she wouldn't be scolded for not using it for a few minutes. They were constantly smothering her.

Although that was mostly her fault. Her little impromptu adventure had set her back a few days. She was working on putting it all behind her now.

As if he could sense her sudden lack of regard for her own wellbeing, Inoichi opened the door to her office without even knocking. He took a moment to assess her, saw the crutch laying forgotten on the floor, the semi-guilty look on her face, and the fact that she was all but sitting on her desk and sighed. Very heavily. "When you asked if you could come back to work early I agreed because you said you'd take it easy." His tone is exasperated and she smiles at him.

"This is taking it easy." He steps around her and heads over to where the crutch lays. Inoichi picks it up before holding it out to her. She makes a face at it as if it has offended her greatly.

He rolls his eyes. "Were going to lunch." She huffs but accepts the crutch with mild reluctance. Taking a moment to get it adjusted before heading towards the door.

"You better be paying." Hibiki mutters sarcastically, Inoichi raised a brow at the back of her head.

"I'm pretty sure it's your turn." Long ago when they were both still genin they use to take turns as too paid for team lunch. It had continued into their adulthood and in their career. She shot a look at him over her shoulder and then smirks.

"No it is yours. The last time we got lunch it was your turn but sensei joined us and he paid for it. So it is in fact still your turn to pay." Inoichi shook his head. That sounded about right.

"Damn. We're getting barbeque then." She shrugs at him as they leave the office. Hibiki's not going to protest free food and barbeque wasn't the worst choice.

He could have always chosen ramen. She shuddered at the thought. Being a lifelong friend to the only Uzumaki in the village who had a ramen addiction meant she had eaten her fair share of the salty noodle dish. As much as Hibiki loved the red head, if she never ate ramen again for the rest of her life it would still be too soon.

Lost in thought, she missed the utterly found look Inoichi cast her.

.

Sometimes, Hibiki really hates Minato(although not really). Like right now. Her second favorite blonde was giving her this look, like someone had kicked their favorite puppy or in his case broken his favorite sealing brush. Which also wasn't why he was giving her that look. The almost twenty year old potential Hokage candidate had just showed up to her apartment that morning with little explanation. Kushina was there too, but the red head was actually doing something productive by helping Hibiki with some fuinjutsu work.

Her first day off since returning to T&I, she had been looking forward to a nice and quiet day one where she wasn't going to do much. Instead she was now entertaining her best friend and her fiancé. At least she was free of the crutches, Hibiki thought dryly.

"But why me? Why can't he just wait to ask Sakumo-sensei? He'll be back from his mission sometime this week." She whined, Minato snickered at her expression.

"Chunin exams well have begun by then." She stared at him blankly for a moment and then blinked. Obviously she had forgotten about that.

"But there still babies." Minato fixated her with a disappointed look. It almost sounded like she didn't trust his judgement.

"They're ready. Besides Kakashi is already a chunin. You can't protect them from the war forever." His tone was light but serious. Minato needed to make sure she understood this.

Hibiki stared down into her work, she ran her ink free hand over her face. Kushina paused in examining the piece they had been working on. She had been curious how long it would take those too to have this conversation. The younger girl cared too much.

"I know that." Her tone is bitter as she speaks. As if being unable to stop them from having to experience the war really bothers her. Minato knows that it does, it bothers him to. But it was just one of those things that couldn't really be helped.

"Do you doubt I'll be able to protect them if anything happen?" His wondered, his tone curious but Hibiki could sense a trace of hurt in it. Like he really considered that she thought that. She bit her lip.

"No, I don't doubt that you're more than capable to handle yourself and them. I've never doubted that. It's why when Obito told me who his sensei was I was so relieved. You care about them, you realize that they're not just soldiers but children as well." She paused, Minato gave her a look asking her to go on. There was obviously more she wanted to say.

"What happens when you're not there though? Kakashi will make jonin before the war ends, he'll be expected to lead mission without you, missions that consists of just them and their objective. What happens then? There is always going to be someone bigger than them, stronger than them, right now especially. You're a jonin, a fuinjutsu master and possibly one of the biggest threats in this village's arsenal the 'Yellow Flash'. Because I can tell you the most likely course of what will happen, one of them will die." Minato is taken aback by her words, he hadn't considered that. Hibiki's expression is so serious, so solemn that it actually hurts to look at. The worst part of it all though, is that he knows she's right.

"I'm not going to let that happen. There young age will make approval for certain missions necessary. I won't let it come to that. I promise." She wants to believe him, he looks like he believes it himself. But Hibiki knew things, things he could never know. Things that would break him. So she can't, not yet, she needed proof. That those horrible things she remembered wouldn't come to be, and right now there just wasn't a guarantee.

She sighs. "Please don't, don't make promise that you may not be able to keep." Hibiki pushes herself away from the small kitchen table. Ignoring his hurt look as she stands and heads towards the fridge. Kushina looks between them then, it would be really awful if they started fighting over this.

Minato grits his teeth together. Because he can't be mad at her, not really, not when he knows that she is right. Instead he decides to go back to the previous subject. "So will you help Kakashi with his lightening release?" He ask as she returns with a tray of waters. Hibiki stares at him with a long piercing look before finally just sighing.

"Fine. But I'm not showing him any of my really chakra extensive techniques. He'll have to get permission from sensei first. As they can be very dangerous to oneself." He nods his head. This is a compromise he can live with. Minato gives her a satisfied look.

"Of course, that is only reasonable. Also I know you're not a medic but do you have any advice I can pass of to Rin?" She took a sip of her water, thinking. Kushina snorts at the also obvious attempt to avoid answering.

Hibiki sets her glass down. "Let me get back to you on that. I might have some of kaa-san's old stuff stored away." He accepts that answer and then moves on to cross examining what there working on. She doesn't comment on the fact that he didn't ask her anything about Obito, but that doesn't really surprise her too much. Minato knew by now that she was always doing everything in her power to help her brother.

"You should move this kanji here for better flow, and then put that on here." He draws an invisible line with his fingers, Hibiki runs the concepts through her head trying to picture how it will translate. She groans after viewing the flow in her head. Of course he was right.

He's a genius after all.

Kushina draws her attention away from the smirking blonde by loudly stretching. Hibiki raises her brow at the red head. "Are you going to be okay?" Just then the Uzumaki's stomach growled angrily.

"I think it's time we took are leave." Minato mutters, his tone a bit sarcastic. Hibiki smirks at them. Kushina's face is almost the same shade as her hair.

"It's not my fault you insisted we come over first thing this morning!" She huffed crossing her arms over her chest. Minato gave her a sheepish look in return scratching the back of his head as he did so. Hibiki just snickered at the two of them.

"Make him take you to lunch Shina, it's the least he can do." She gave the blonde a wicked grin. He shot her an annoyed look one Kushina didn't see as she was exclaiming how great of an idea that was.

Hibiki gave a small wave leaning into the doorway of her apartment. "I'll be around sometime tomorrow." She calls out to Minato, who doesn't turn around instead he gives a thumbs up behind his back. The dark haired teen sighed while closing the door, as much as she loved Kushina and Minato she was rather glad they were both gone. As much as she missed having a roommate she was glad they no longer lived together.

Maybe she should get a cat? Hibiki shook her head heading back to the table to rework seals, Sakumo-sensei would hate that. Akito-san too. The dogs loved her. They'd be devastated if she got a cat.

Maybe she could convince Inoichi that the office needed a cat. That sounded like fun.

.

True to her word Hibiki came around Team 7 usual training ground around midafternoon the following day. She brought some snacks for them too setting the basket down in front of them before grabbing Kakashi and hauling him off to the other end of the training ground. Lightening was a volatile subject and must be dealt with carefully. Especially when training with it.

Hibiki knew that the silver haired chunin had already started training with his nature affinity from what Minato had told her yesterday but there was still a lot he needed to work on. It was now her job to determine exactly where he stood on the subject and just what exactly she was going to teach him.

Didn't he eventually create a technique based off of Minato's rasangan using the affinity? Hibiki couldn't really remember those details. She had a similar jutsu in her own arsenal she could show him, it would help with the transition to the chidori if she remembered right.

Kakashi gave her an entirely unimpressed look. "Your being dramatic Hibi-san." She pouted at him, what happened to the cute kid who'd called her nee-san in the hospital? The silver haired chunin just gave her an unamused look. He found it very hard to believe she'd been promoted to jonin, as far as he knew she didn't have any really great talents. Besides whatever it was she did in Intelligence, but that couldn't have been enough for a promotion could it?

Kakashi was admittedly confused. He didn't get to think on it long because she started speaking and it sounded like she was serious.

"Alright Kashi-kun let's get down to it. Minato has asked me to make an assessment of your progress with lightening release." Hibiki slaps a strange fuinjustu arrangement he's never seen before around his wrist and then drops to the ground sitting with her legs half extended to the side. That didn't appear to be too comfortable but she seemed used to it. He half examined the paper tag wrapped around his wrist before determining that whatever this was, was too advanced for even him to understand.

So he did what any genius level child would do, and asked. Hibiki offered him a kind smile patted his arm and then promptly told him not to worry about it before telling him to get started. She wanted to see everything he had learned. Or at least what he deemed important.

He gave a nod of his head. Kakashi wasn't about to argue with the woman. His father had said she was one of the best lightening user he knew. Although it still didn't explain why she was a jonin. The silver haired prodigy set to work, showing her everything he could do at this point. It wasn't a lot but it was defiantly more than the basics.

She clapped her hands together when he finished before waving him back over to her. Hibiki removed the seal from his wrist examining it carefully. "Hn. That's more than I expected." She mutters to herself but doesn't elaborate. Even though he still hasn't figured out what exactly that thing did.

Hibiki makes a motion for him to sit in front of her, and then tells him to hold out his dominate arm. The nine year old complies. She takes his hand in her and pushes a small amount of her chakra into the coils in his fingers. They twitch in surprise, she looked pleased. "I was checking to see if you still had feeling in your fingers. Prolonged use of lightening release has the possibility to kill the nerve endings wherever it being used the most from if not check by a medic occasionally." He nods his head at the explanation, as he already knew that from his father.

"Tou-san said the same thing." He informs her and she makes small noise in response. Kakashi doesn't really know what to think about her.

Hibiki is very strange. She's not like the other shinobi he's been exposed too, it's something about her eyes. He thinks warily watching her as she goes through a serious of explanations about lightening release that he already half knows. There's something in them, in the way she looks at him, at all of them. It's just very strange. Maybe his father knew why she looked at them like that. Kakashi would inquire about it when his father returned.

Hibiki observed Kakashi for a moment, she knew he was only half listening. She wondered what he was thinking about. Wondered why his face looked so serious, especially when half of it was covered. The explanation died on her lips as the whole area filled with a great amount of chakra. "It looks like Minato's sensei is back." Kakashi looked around her surprised.

In all his time as Minato's apprentice/student he'd only met the famous sannin once. Hibiki looked less than thrilled as they made their way back over to the commotion. The dark haired teen actually looked like she was dreading the entire thing.

"Jiriaya-sama." She greeted quietly, giving a small bow as she did so. The sannin stopped mid-sentence to glance over at her. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, just enough for her too notice.

"Ah Kano-san, It's good to see that you've recovered." The cheerful tone was forced, and the smile followed didn't reach his eyes. Hibiki gave another small nod in thanks. She didn't offer a verbal response instead turned her attention to Minato.

"I'll be back tomorrow to go over a new technique with Kakashi." Hibiki vanished in a push of smoke. Obito looked over at with a great deal of concern. He's never seen her act like that. Minato sighed.

"I think were done for today, Obito do you think you could pass my thanks along to Hibiki." The boy nods his head, scrambling to stand up as he did so. He picked up the basket Hibiki had left on the ground earlier.

"Sure. Later!" He rushes out of the training ground then, taking the basket with him. Rin gives a small bow to the sannin and a polite goodbye before following after Obito. Minato watched them leave.

Kakashi lingered. He observed the two adults for a moment. There was something going on here. Something that they didn't want them to know. Perhaps his father would tell him. "Minato-sensei?" Minato looked down at his youngest student and offered him a kind smile.

"Everything is okay, I'll see you tomorrow alright." It was a clear dismissal if he ever heard one. Kakashi nodded his head.

Minato turned his attention back to the sannin once all his students were gone. His look soured. "What was that?" He was not oblivious to the false air his sensei had given the girl. The white haired sannin took a deep breath.

"Ask her about Kisomi." It was all Jiriaya offered.

Kisomi burned to the ground before the start of the war. It had been one of the major reason the village entered the war. The small settlement bordered The Land of Fire and the Land of Grass but it had been attacked by Iwa before the war began, killing at least a hundred people. What more could Hibiki know about it that the rest of them didn't? She hadn't even been in the village when the report came in, she was on an intelligence mission in Rivers when it happened.

Minato narrowed his eyes at the man. "Sensei what's going on?" He didn't like the tone Jiriaya had used. Something about this wasn't right. The whited haired Sannin didn't offer anything else after that, instead he completely changed the subject.

"I'm starved, let's go get something. Maybe I'll even treat you." Minato rolled his eyes and let whatever it was go for the time being. He'd figured it out eventually.

He had a sense of foreboding about the whole thing, Minato wasn't going to like what he found.

 **XOXOX**

 **You guys! This chapter is the longest one so far, at a little of 3,000 words. I hope you like it and let me know what you think! Your reviews help me write and get chapters out faster.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Have a wonderful day:D**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	13. Chapter 13

" **Darkness and Light, two sides of the same coin. They can equally coexist, for what is darkness without light and what is light without the shadows its cast. A burning candle is brightest in a dark room, but even in the light the flame still cast its own darkness. So what is darkness? What is light? Perhaps it is simply a result, of what you ask? Time." ~Author Unknown**

 **.13**

 _For a brief moment, time stood absolutely still. Frozen in place. Everything stopped moving, and then it's all rushing back to her at once. The glass cup in her hand falls to the ground and she can make out the sound of it shattering. She can't breathe. Her longs gasp for air as her hand moves up the clench at her shirt._

 _The walls are closing in around her, she feels trapped. They are closing in on her, falling slowing at her feet one by one until she's standing in front of a pile of dead bodies. Innocent people. Their eyes remain open. 'You could have saved us.' They just kept repeating. Haunting her._

 _There's a crackle of lightening in the distance and everything around her goes up in black fire. YOU COULD HAVE SAVED US! Whispers turn to screams, as the corpses reach out for her. She falls back trying to escape them until they over take her, darkness follows soon after._

Hibiki jolts up, a small cry escapes her lips, her forehead sweaty breathing uneasy, sharringan activated. She pulls her knees to her chest, barely holding herself together. The clock to her left reading an ungodly time in bleary red writing. It's too early for this.

Slowly she drags herself out of the bed forcing herself to the shower. The water stings her flesh as it pelts her skin, she adjust the temperature. She leans her back against the cold ceramic walls, her hands clutches desperately at the railing trying to keep herself steady. Until she no longer can and she slowly slides down the shower wall hitting the floor with a silent sob.

The nightmares have gotten worse.

She doesn't know how long she stayed like that, sobbing under the spray of the shower. How long she sat there letting the warm water assault her skin. Time doesn't exist in that moment. Because she can't push past it, not this time, not now. Their faces haunt her. It's only getting worse.

The war started on their turns, and the cost had been great. She paid the Piper a piece of her own soul.

Hibiki didn't move for a long time, not until her skin began to prune and her bones began to ache from the position. She dried off slowly before throwing the towel over the top of the shower. Her reflection in the mirror catching her attention. Slowly her eye drug over the scars she'd gain in the last year, examining them. The most noticeable was the one the resulted from her time spent in Iwa's callous hands. Electrical burns and the scars resulted were a terrifying yet beautiful thing to behold. This particular scar ran up the entire length of her side, stopping just below her breast and extended down wrapping around her leg stopping just above the knee. It splintered out in several directions reminding her almost of vines.

She traced the marks carefully, they were no longer the bright angry red and purple marks the marred her flesh when she was brought back to Konoha. They were faded now a pale pink, but still very noticeable on her ghostly completion. Hibiki had been warned that there was nothing more they could do for them that she'd always have them. The konouchi had accepted that as the price she paid for her life. Better to be scarred than to be dead.

Kushina had cried the first time she saw them after her release from the hospital. The red head knew they were there, the nurse told her, but she hadn't seen them for herself. Sakumo and Inoichi had, they were the only ones who had really seen the extent of the damage done to her at Iwa's hand. Her former sensei and teammate were treating her like a glass doll at times, although more subtlety than Kushina did at first.

Hibiki was grateful for her friends. For everything they had done for her. For never loosing hope in her, she dreaded the day they stopped. As much as she hoped and prayed, as much as she didn't want it to happened. She knew that they'd eventually ask, that someone would tip them off, and they'd start asking her questions that she couldn't answer.

They would find out about Kisomi. Sakumo was the only one who really knew, and she was aware that Inoichi had his suspicions. He'd seen the original order too. So it wouldn't be long and if Jiriaya couldn't keep his distain to himself it would come sooner than she was prepared for.

She knew he knew the truth. Knew about her orders. He was a spy, the spy. Konoha's most productive spy master and he was also the student of the Sandaime. Hibiki knew the man probably would have told Jiriaya the truth if he asked. It was a terrible break in the chain and shouldn't be allowed to happen. But if the Sandaime thought Jiriaya should know then who could stop him. The only thing she had going for her then was that they could never officially tie her to what happened in Kisomi, there was a paper trail that put her in the Land of Rivers and eye witnesses to place her there.

In no official capacity could she ever been found guilty or at fault. Not without outing the Daimyo as an arrogant dirty politician. Their countries leader was too proud for that. So even when her friends did find out, rarely anything actually stayed buried, this was a ninja village after all. So when they did find out, the only thing they could do was hate her.

Hibiki didn't know if she'd be able to live with it if it ever came to that. She hoped that they would forgive her, but realistically how could she expect them too when she had hardly forgiven herself.

It was going to be a long day. She downed two cups of green tea and a cup of coffee before leaving for work. No one would be surprised to see her this early, they were still at war after all.

.

About nine o'clock Inoichi pressed a steeping cup of something into her hands, giving her a mildly concerned look before taking a seat across from her. She narrowed her eyes at him taking a sniff before giving him a small appreciative nod. The twenty year old smirked at her. It wasn't decaf, not this time. Hibiki took a small sip, testing its flavor.

"You're giving me caffeinated coffee exactly the way I take it?" Her brow raises at him, something about this was highly suspicious. Inoichi was always forcing her to drink decaf. He nods, she takes another cautious sip of the warm dark liquid.

"I need a favor." He says after she's taken a few more sips, when her eyes look a little livelier. She gives him an amused look over the top of the mug. "Of course you do." Hibiki set's the glass down. Folds her arms across her chest and waits.

What is he about to ask her? Knowing Inoichi it could literally be anything. "I need you to oversee an interrogation." Her eyes widen slightly, that was not what she was expecting to happen. Hibiki wasn't particularly found of the opposing side of T&I that was known as Torture and Interrogation as she favored and worked for the Tactics and Intelligence part of the unit. It wasn't often that she was asked to dabble on the other side. When she was it was usually for good reason.

"Who is it?" She doesn't say yes, not yet. But she doesn't say no either and for that Inoichi is thankful. He really needed her to agree to do this, no one else had been able to get anything out of the prisoner. Hibiki would be able to, for as much as she loathed the other half of the equation she had a certain talent with it that you couldn't deny.

However this would be the first interrogation she'd been asked to consult on since her own entrapment. He hated to ask her to do this, as it could potentially have unfortunate results on her overall mental heatlth but they were running out of time. There were no other options.

"An intelligence officer from Iwa, he has key information for us, but no one can get him to talk." Her fingers tighten around her arms, nails digging into the exposed flesh. They wanted her to watch. To read his body language find his pressure points.

Hibiki took a deep breath, she wasn't sure if she could do that. Inoichi waited for her to collect herself. He knew what he was asking of her. She cleared her throat, sighing deeply. "One hour, I will give you one hour. After that I'm done." Her tone determined, he nods. That would have to do.

He stood up from the chair and made a motion for her to follow him. Hibiki did so reluctantly. Quietly falling into step behind him. She had been right, it was going to be a long day.

.

As the interrogation draws to a close Hibiki gives a verbal report of what she noticed, what conclusion they brought her too and anything she thinks will help them further get information out of the prisoner before promptly leaving the viewing room. She makes a detour on the way back to her office in the form of stopping in the closets restroom to clear the purely liquid contents of her stomach. While they were not full on torturing the prisoner it was too close to home, too familiar. Their tones too close to his. It made her sick.

Information was power, at the end of the day they were no different than Iwa. They needed this knowledge and they'd do anything to get it. Hibiki threw up again. She couldn't suppress the memories any longer.

Her hands gripped tight onto the edge of the sink, trying to steady herself. She carefully reexamined her appearance again. The dark circles under her eyes more profound, her skin was blotchy, ashen as if she hadn't seen the sun in years. Dark waves framed her sunken face, high lighting her sharp features, cascading down to the middle of her back. Hibiki brushed a few wayward strands out of her face, tucking them behind her ear.

She really needed to get a hold of herself. There was no time to be continuously breaking down, she had to get past this. In the reflection of the mirror she could see their faces, she shook her head pushing the thoughts of them away. Now was not the time.

One problem at a time.

The sudden hollow echoes of knuckles against the thin door pull her from her self-loathing. Her eyes narrowed. "Give me a moment." There is a sort of impatience in her tone. She slowly losing control. Hibiki needed to get a hold of herself. No one needed to see her break.

"You've been in there for almost ten minutes, are you okay?" The voice is concerned, and she can almost detect a sense of guilt in their tone. It's not his fault. Hibiki takes another deep breath trying to clear her head.

She steps away from the sink heading over to the door slowly unlocking it. Inoichi is standing on the other side. The look in his eyes absolutely kills her. He shouldn't look so guilty. It's not his fault. There is nothing he could to do to change her reaction here. "I'm fine, I just needed a moment." His eyes trail over her, trying to determine if what she said was true. They narrowed slightly at her as if he was finding that very hard to believe.

He was not wrong.

"I shouldn't have asked you to do that." He finally mutters, she shakes her head and pats his arm.

"It's better if we don't think about it." She informs him before turning her heel and heading down the hallway back to her office. The Yamanaka watches her go. He shakes his head, she's wrong.

Inoichi doesn't let her get far, her stops her from walking away. "You're wrong." She startles, she hadn't expected him to follow her. He usually didn't. Usually he just let her go. His voice firm, eyes serious. Why is this time so different?

"What?" Hibiki queried. Her eyes confused. What was he going on about? Inoichi took a step closer to her then. In an assured manor repeated his previous statement. "You are wrong." The words punctuate off his tongue. She took a breath.

"Excuse me?" Hibiki still doesn't understand where this sudden outburst has come from. How is she wrong?

"It's not better if we don't think about it, you'll never fully recover if you just keep avoiding it." The mind reader chided her. Her eyes widen even further, she should have known better than to assume he'd just let it go. Inoichi knew her too well.

She balls her fist biting her lip. He puts a hand on her shoulder and leads her silently out of the hallway. They're lucky it's still early and not very many people are in the part of the building at the moment. No one needed to witness the head of the Tactics and Intelligence division showing partisan to one officer. It wouldn't go over well with the ethics board. Especially since they were former teammates.

He discreetly pushes her through the small multi desk office before leading her in the direction of his own office, he needed to grab his wallet from the desk drawer. Inoichi briefly informs the officer coordinator that they would be back later, he receives a nod in return. Hibiki doesn't ask where he's taking her, she doesn't really say much the entire time they're walking. Trying to figure out what exactly he's thinking. She doesn't understand what's going on here.

"I think it's time we talk about why you aren't sleeping." Is the first thing he says to her once they've arrived at the apparent destination and have been seated, giving her no other explanation as to why he dragged to half way across the village. The establishment is Akamichi owned, not the barbeque that they were known for, but a small quiet tea house. One of her favorites actually. He folds his arms across his chest, he's not going to take no for an answer. Not this time.

He's worried about her. Since her return from the border, and here in the last few months, especially following the chunin exams she began to fall apart. Human behavior is his specialty, the human mind specifically, and he knew hers better than most. Her current behavior was far from normal and if she was anyone else he'd declare them unfit for service in a heartbeat. But Hibiki wasn't most people, most people wouldn't have returned to the service in the first place.

She's silence, her eyes cast down into her lap. How had he known? Hibiki thought she'd hidden the signs well. How could he have possibly figured it out? "I'm having nightmares." The admittance comes out in a small whisper, the words taste bitter on her tongue.

Inoichi had figured as much. But he needs her to continue, he needs her to tell him about them. It's the only way she'll be able to move on. She can't keep falling apart at every turn. Eventually there going to expect her to take field mission again and if she was mentally prepared for them it would only end badly. He also had to make sure she wasn't losing her mind. It was something she had previously warned him about, something to keep an eye out for.

The level to which she had activated her sharingan had the possibility to drive her insane, one of its many side effects. They didn't need that.

"Can you tell me about them?" He questions gently, trying not to prod her too much. She bites her lip drawing a bit of blood, hastily she wipes it away. Hibiki gives a small nod, resting her hands on the table. Her nails click nervously against the wood.

Inoichi leans forward, he places one of his hands over hers. "Take a deep breath, try to relax, it's going to be alright. Just take your time." He tries to sooth, his words chosen carefully. Her nails stop clicking the table.

He sits back giving her space. This was going to take time.

Healing always took time.

.

Inoichi sent her home after their impromptu therapy session, told her to take the next two days off. She had to get control of herself. Hibiki wondered aimlessly around the village for a while before finally ending up at the only other place she'd ever called home. Atsuko ushered the teen into her home without a second thought, settling the girl on the couch before scurrying into the kitchen to start a kettle.

Atsuko fixed the girl a special blend of tea, on that was good for anxiety. When Hibiki had finished her cup the kind old woman moved the teapot back to the kitchen before settling on the couch next to her granddaughter. Hibiki leaned into her side, the woman started running her delicate fingers through the tangled mess that could scathingly be called hair. Humming quietly to fill the silence.

The former genjutsu mistress doesn't pry, Hibiki will talk when she's ready. Sometimes the best form of communication was through the quiet. Just being there for another, allowing them to work through their problems on their own. They would talk when they were ready. Once they knew for themselves what they needed to say. What they needed to be heard.

Atsuko knows better than anyone that this is how Hibiki handles her problems, just like her mother had, alone. But unlike her mother who wouldn't let them fester, wouldn't let them reach this point of decay, who would deal with them as they started. Hibiki held onto them, let the problems build, let more issues pile on top of one another until the flood gates were full and breaking. Until the very last moment, until she couldn't handle any more. She was her father's child.

Her nephew would have tried to carry the sun if he could have, if it would have spared someone else the burden of doing so. Atsuko frowned at the thought. There was no doubt in her mind that that is exactly what Hibiki had done to herself. But carrying the sun, no matter how cautious and careful you were, you'd eventually be burned.

"Tadaima!" Both women looked over at the opened door, Obito came through it looking worn out. Atsuko hid a smirk at her grandson's scuffed up appearance. He closed the door behind him.

"Okeari Obito-kun." Atsuko stands from her spot, letting Hibiki lean back into the couch. Obito smiles at her, it covers his whole face. She loved her grandson more than anything. His eyes scan the room until they land on that of his sister.

His smile fell slightly at her appearance. She didn't look too good. The almost eleven year old and newly promoted chunin had a determined look settle upon his face. Atsuko actually snickered at the look as she headed back into the kitchen to prepare a lite snack for the children.

Obito crossed the room in seconds, he ended up sitting next to Hibiki. Or half on her as she very protectively wrapped her arms around him pulling her close to him. He returned the hug although he wasn't exactly sure why it was happening. At that moment he really didn't care. The overprotective little brother in him kicking in, he never wanted to see her look so sad again.

"I love you nee-chan, no matter what, I promise." Her grip on him tightened and the tears she'd been holding back all day finally came flooding out.

"I love you too Obi, always." He nuzzled his cheek against hers before settling next to her. Pulling the blanket she was under over himself. Hibiki wiped at the tears on her cheek. Looking down at her side, seeing his smiling face, it reminded her of the why.

Everything she's done, has been for this purpose. So she can keep seeing his smiling face. Her little brother. Her resolve restore, this would be the last time she broke over what she'd done, over what was done to her, and it would be the last time she allowed it to get to her. Because she still had work to do, because the war was still going on and as long as it did the chance that she wouldn't get to see him smiling again only grew.

If not, if she couldn't move forward. Then everything she did would be all for naught. Hibiki could never allow that to happen.

Uchiha Obito would be her undoing, and you know what. She was perfectly okay with that.

He was her brother, and she loved him. Nothing else mattered.

 **XOXOX  
THIS CHAPTER. I don't know. The writing got away from me, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I promise future chapters are not going to be as angst heavy as this one if. Not for a while at least. I hope that you like it. Hope that it meats up to your standards.**

 **A small explanation as to why, why this chapter ended up being like this. : SO many times you see in OC-SI stories where the character in faces something terrible, something traumatic, someone they love dies, they get seriously injured, they don't reach the goal they set or just something. It's usually awful, and then it's just over. The next chapter starts and they don't talk about it, or deal with it at all. It goes forgotten. In life it rarely happens like that, when terrible things happen to you, you usually have a hard time dealing with it, it takes gradual time to work through and realistically deal with. There are permeant repercussions to tragedy, to pain, and so often they are glossed over and forgotten. It makes it feel like the writer gave no thought to how what they do to their character actually effects them. They just needed it for move along purposes for their story. I didn't want to do that with this, I didn't want to gloss over the ugly, over the painful, over the recovery.**

 **Healing takes time. And that time varies for each individual. When the pain is psychological, when it attacks your mind anything can trigger a reaction. Set back the process. Your greatest enemy is your own memories and thoughts. They know you better than anyone else because they are you, they live inside you constantly reminding you of your own failures.**

 **I wanted you to see, that Hibiki's actions the things that she's done the things that were done to her, they affect her. I want you to understand her, feel her pain, as I do when I think about this little story, about everything that has and hasn't been said. And I want you to see that she can learn from her actions and adapt, move forward.**

 **That healing is possible.**

 **So yeah. That's why this chapter is like this. Hopefully it will be the last one this heavy for a while. I'm hoping the next few chapters will be on a lighter note. The third war will be winding down within the next few installments and we will be moving forward from there. I have a vague idea of an ending but an undetermined set for it. If that helps.**

 **Thank you very much for reading this chapter!**

 **The new summary for this story is thanks to my older sister who thinks she gave me one for an original work. I don't have the heart to tell her that it's fanfiction. Not yet at least.**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **I hope that you have a great day!**

 **Sincrely, La'Rae**


	14. Chapter 14

" _No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side.  
Or you don't." ___**Stephen King, The Stand**

 **.14**

Whichever kami thought this would be funny deserved to burn in hell for this. She was being dramatic, of course she realizes this she's not an idiot. But at that moment she really didn't give two shits over it. Her fingers pinch the bridge of her nose as she tries to remind herself to take a breath, to breathe. Killing superiors was highly frowned upon and considered treason. Hibiki had never really considered murdering the higher ups, but at the particular moment she was defiantly thinking about.

Although not seriously.

She'd been back in the village for nearing ten months. Her friends had been on changing rotations for deployments while she had been stuck with desk work. Do not miss understand here, she is most certainly not complaining about desk work. Hibiki preferred desk work above everything else. But it did get repetitive and old rather fast if you couldn't take missions in between. Sometimes you just needed to get away from the village, for the sake your wellbeing.

After almost ten months she's been handed her first field assignment, she's finally been fully cleared. It was a simple intelligence gathering mission and not her current cause for exasperation. No it was who she was accompanying. The Sannin looks about as happy as a cat in water about it.

At least the feeling was quiet mutual. She didn't want to be within at least a hundred yards of him let alone on the same mission, sharing the same breathing space as him. Hibiki had never felt this way about anyone before. Today was apparently full of first for her. Contemplating murder of village officials, and now loathing her mission partner.

"Surely there is someone better suited than myself for this mission Hokage-sama?" Her tone is polite, her words drenched in humility. Jiriaya grits his teeth biting back the pithy remark forming in the back of his mind. He shouldn't be mad. Because he knows her humility isn't forced or fake. She actually means it.

But it just makes him angrier. How someone this innocent could have been capable of what she did? It didn't make sense. He just couldn't wrap his head around it. She wasn't noticeable, her grades had been average (he remembered when Sakumo became her teacher) sure she had graduated a bit early, but that had been during the troughs of the second war, there wasn't anything obviously remarkable about her. The girl hadn't even been made a jonin until ten months ago, while everyone she graduated with (those that were still alive at least) have been jonin for at least three or more years. Jiriaya couldn't figure it out, it didn't make sense.

The Sandaime gave the girl an amused look, as he saw through her attempt to get out of being stuck with his former student. He knew how Jiriaya felt about the teen and what better way to force two people to deal with their issues then send them on a two week long recon mission. Hiruzen knew what he was doing.

She shook her head at the look he gave her, shrugging her shoulders. "Sah, figures.-" Her attention then turned to the sannin. "- I'll meet you at the gate in an hour. Might as well get this rolling." Hibiki vanished in a sealess and silent shunshin, there wasn't even a puff of smoke to indicate where she had been. Jiriaya raised his brow at the vacant spot. That was certainly interesting.

His attention turned back to his former sensei, the old man had his hands folded under his chin. There was an amused look in his eyes. "She's rather interesting isn't she?" Hiruzen queried, his tone knowing. It wasn't really a question. Because the Sandaime already knew the answer.

She was interesting.

.

Hibiki stopped by Atsuko's to let her know she would be out of the village for two weeks, before patting Obito's unkempt hair and heading back out the way she came. Through the window. The whole exchanged lasted no longer the five minutes and left the old woman sighing before rushing Obito out the door. He was already late.

The teen ended up arriving at the gate earlier than what she told the sannin. She hung out in a nearby tree, keeping watch. He wouldn't be hard to miss. Hibiki didn't really understand the objective of their mission, they were being sent to a small country smack dab in the middle of three of the five great nations. It didn't make sense.

What sort of intelligence could be gathered from a place like that?

She thinks it might have a hidden village, but the details are a tad fuzzy. Ane- no that didn't sound right, Amegakure? Maybe, Hibiki hadn't really been paying attention, she'd been too distracted by the fact she was about to have to spend two weeks with someone who currently hated her. Something else about the location was bothering her too, something she couldn't really place a finger on. The girl gave a sigh, she'd figure it out eventually.

Jiriaya approached the gate, she rolled out of the tree landing gracefully besides him. He didn't even flinch. His eyes were cold as they regarded her. She ignored him, this was going to be a really long two weeks. "Let's get this over with." He muttered. Silently she agreed.

Three days into the journey, they'd made a small detour to the Land of River(they were now tree hoping along the border of Fire and Rivers), Hibiki was at her wits end. She couldn't handle it anymore, the snide comments, or the terrible implications the man was making. He was a spy master, who understood how powerful information could be, why was he acting like such a child over this? "Grow up!" Hibiki huffed at him, stopping on the next branch an irritated scowl on her face as she looked back at him.

"Excuse me?" He looked down at her one he'd stopped on one of the higher branches. The look of irritation only grew on her face.

"You heard me, grow up. Whatever issue it is that you have with me, you need to get over it. Were on a mission and we do not have time for this." Her tone was level as she spoke, but he could see the fire behind her eyes. Hibiki was finding it very hard to believe that this man was the same age as her sensei.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He insisted and she actually growled. Like straight up growled at him, he hadn't expected that.

"And I'm the water daimyo's wife." She spat sarcastically. Jiriaya looked at her like she had grown a second head or something. His fist clichéd at his side, she didn't look like she was going to start moving anytime soon. What a stubborn girl.

"Explain something to me, how could a twelve year old like you do something like that." Hibiki stared up at him for a long moment. Did he just… She wasn't twelve… Take a deep breath, she reminded herself. The teen stared at him for a second, before jumping off the branch. This wasn't a conversation she would be having while balancing on a branch. He followed after a moment.

Jiriaya was a large man, he towered over her. Hibiki jabbed her index finger into his sternum. The finger coated in small amount of chakra. He took a step back. "First of all, I'm not twelve, I'm seventeen. Secondly you are a grown man who is behaving like a child. Third that not your damn business. But since you're so insistent, so convinced that I have somehow managed to betray the village's morals or whatever it is that's the root of your problem with me, let's clear the air how about it." She drew in a long breath, her eyes narrowed at him. Her free hand pulls what appears to be a strong privacy seal, she clutches it between her fingers it glows for a moment activating in her hand.

"Do you know what it takes to fix a war?" The questions is asked, although he's sure it's rhetorical. There's a storm brewing in her eyes. She looks calm all of the sudden as if she hadn't just lash out at him. It is very unnerving. There is a strength in her voice. It's not a tone he'd ever heard from the girl.

"Time, it takes time. And patience, and lots and lots of consideration. It's one of those things that you just can't wake up one morning and decide to go do." She stops here to gather her thoughts, to makes sure that what she says next is good enough. "There's a price, everything has a price, and the price for fixing a war making something out of the terrible hand you'd been dealt. Something almost okay." Hibiki fixes him with a serious look then as if this is what she really wants him to pay attention too.

"Well that price was great, it's very costly. Stop making the implications that you are, I know what I've done. I am well aware of the price that I paid. I'm sorry that it confuses you that you don't trust me because of it, but that's on you. That's your choice, and that's fine you're allowed to have your own feelings on the subject, but you need to put them aside because right now we are on a mission." Hibiki takes a step back, the privacy seal turns to ash in her hand. He can see small sparks coming off her fingers.

Jiriaya stared at the teen for a long moment, contemplating her little rant just then. She just all but out right admitted to what happened in Kisomi. He couldn't believe her. Nor did he understand, in what world would doing what she did be considered okay? Of course he didn't trust, she'd been responsible for murder of hundreds of innocent people. How was that better than whatever other cards they'd been dealt?

She stepped around him, her posture tense, on extreme edge, there wasn't much more she'd take before tipping over completely. Hibiki just wanted to finish the mission and go home. "Hundreds of people died, and you just brushed it off like it was just some game. As if it was a joke to you, as if their lives didn't even matter. How am I supposed to work with someone like that?" His voice is low, quiet, but she can hear the anger in them. She can hear his hate, all of his distrust in them.

Hibiki freezes in her spot. Her head dips, she stares down at her uncovered toes. Eyes close for a second. "One hundred and fifty-seven." She mumbled, he heard her.

"What?" He stared at the back of her head. She glanced at him then over her shoulder, her expression vacant.

"There were one hundred and fifty-seven people in Kisomi that day. Out of those hundred and fifty-seven forty-nine of them were children, kids all under the age of twelve." Hibiki lets her words hang in the air around them, she forces chakra into her feet and jumps back into the branches above them. The conversation is over.

For now.

It takes Jiriaya a moment to process that. The feeling that followed learning that piece of information actually made him feel guilty. He had misjudged her. She did care. Probably more than anyone he'd ever met and he'd been a complete ass to her.

This was going to be a long eleven days.

.

How had she forgotten about them? Taking in the desolation around her, ignoring the look the Sannin was giving her once he'd finally caught up to her, just taking in the ruminates of the battle. Since the beginning of this mission something had been bothering her about the location. Something in the back of her mind barely tapping at the door. Something important.

How had she forgotten? Amegakure was the future base of the THAT organization. Hibiki shakes her head, it doesn't matter now. The original cause for the Ranningan user going dark gone. His friend was alive.

She hadn't even thought about it. Just intervened without thinking, when she realized who was being attack. Her eyes were cold as they regarded the unconscious member of ROOT. Hibiki remember the request from this mission, she'd told the Hokage it was a bad idea. At the time she didn't really know why she felt like that. Because she hadn't remembered, but she just had that feeling.

Hanzo the Salamander was a terrible man, why would they help him? He needed to be overthrown, this small country surrounded by war needed to be reformed. They could have made easy allies with the new leadership, they could have helped them push Hanzo out. She thought the Third had agreed with her. Perhaps he had. Hibiki scowled, she knew very well who hadn't.

She hadn't forgotten about him. Danzo was a problem. But not something she could realistically do anything about until Minato was in office. The vile excuse for a human was still the Sandaime's childhood friend.

There's only one thing bothering her now, it's too early. This shouldn't have happened yet. It's not how she remembers it. The showdown in Ame, Nagato vs Hanzo it happened later. When the war was almost over, after Obito had turned. So why had it happened now? What changed?

She takes a look at the trio, slowly pulling themselves back together, then her attention turns back to the leader of the village. Jiriaya is holding him back. His eyes are one fire. Hibiki knew that the two man had history. It's how his team became known as the sannin, they fault that crazy bastard during the second war.

That was nearing eight years ago, a lot had changed in that time.

The rain mats her hair to her face, effectively covering her eyes and the fact that her sharingan had activated. She apparently not the only one who was utilizing that tactic. Slowly she walks over to the trio. Their faces convey a range of emotions.

But the only thing she can think of is that none of them are dead. Somehow that's all that matters. She falls onto her knees, the mud makes a quiet squishing noise where she lands. "I'm so sorry." Her voice is quiet.

"Why, why are you apologizing to us? If it wasn't for your interference just then we'd all be dead." His voice is serious. More so than she expected his eyes hold a strong resolve. He reminds her briefly of Minato, they both had that same strange gravity defying spiky bright hair, eyes the shove with strength, they cared. She could see it all over him.

They wouldn't be in this position right now, if she'd just remembered why Ame was so important. But she hadn't. She hadn't remembered them.

"I know some medical jutsu, I can heal some of your wounds." Hibiki mutters instead. He nods his head, and makes an indication to his teammates first. She understand his meaning.

The Uzumaki decedent's legs are a mess, he's very lucky to still have any feeling in them. She runs a glowing green hand down them carefully. This isn't something she wants to rush, least she mess something up. Mecial ninjutsu wasn't her strong point. Hibiki was a coder, a paper pusher, who also reviewed incoming mission request to find their strategic value and to determine if they were worth it or not. It's how she knew that the mission from Hanzo existed, because she'd seen it and had determined it a terrible waste. So she really didn't want to fuck this up.

They needed someone like the man she was heeling on their side. The Rinnegan was the most powerful dojutsu in existence at the moment. If she couldn't save Obito, if somehow all her careful planning failed, then she couldn't let him have easy access to it.

"How does that feel?" Hibiki asked quietly, hands still glowing eyes narrowed at the work. The pale skinned teen tried flexing his toes. His face scrunched up in discomfort.

"Sore." She smiled. That was better than the alternative. Apparently she wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Good." Jiriaya's hand slammed down on his shoulder, patting it lightly. The three looked startled for a second. Then their expressions settle and turned to relief.

"Hey sensei." The orange haired teen muttered.

"Seems you're still causing trouble Yahiko." Jiriaya's tone was sardonic, Yahiko actually laughed then. She briefly saw the other two smile.

"Are the rogue ANBU taken care of? And Hanzo?" Hibiki questions draws Jiriaya's attention down to the dark haired girl. She was just full of surprises. His eyes wondered across the field to where two lions were guarding a group of tied up not quite ANBU members, and then to Hanzo defeated form.

"For now. You and I have a lot to discuss." His tone serious. She looked up at him, he caught a glint of red behind her wet hair. Yes they had lots to discuss. Hiding information about ones abilities from superiors was dangerous.

She doesn't acknowledge the other half of his sentence. He still hadn't earned that right. Hibiki hands stop glowing, this is the best she can do at the moment. They really need to get out of the open, they needed to deal with the ROOT shinobi and she needed to think.

"That's all I can do at the moment, how are your injuries Yahiko-san? Konouchi-san?" She's heard Jiriaya use his name so she could use it, but they still hadn't told her their names. So even if she knew them she couldn't yet use them.

"Nothing I can't handle. Thank you." She nods, taking his word for it and turns her attention to the purple haired teen. Vaguely she thinks they might be around the same age.

"Konan." Hibiki blinks then, visions slight obscured from her hair. The purple haired teen gives her a small smile. "My name." She gives a nod in understanding. "I am okay." Konan tells her, Hibiki gives the girl a once over before nodding her head once more.

The other girl didn't appear to have many if any injuries on her person. Hibiki leans back then, sitting on the back of her legs and heels. She folds her hands in her lap. "Alright, do you think you can stand?" Her question directed to the red head and he gives a nod.

"I think so, thank you." Carefully with help of Yahiko and Jiriaya the teen is brought to his feet. The orange haired male holds a hand out to her next, she accepts it with a bit of caution. He helps her to her feet. Hibiki slides slightly, not used to the mud, straight into Yahiko's arms.

He gives a small laugh, steadying her carefully. Jiriaya actually snickers at her. "Not used to the mud?" She glares him, the sharingan now deactivated. The red head who is leaning heavily against the sannin cracks a small smile.

"What happens now?" The Uzumaki questions after a moment of silence.

The two leaf shinobi shared a look. Hibiki shrugged her shoulders. That was a really good question. This was such a drastic change to what she knew of cannon that she didn't have an answer. She never expected this to happen and the only person she can be mad at is herself.

She should have never forgotten about them, and she had.

"You're the leaders now, you tell me." Jiriaya tells them, then makes a face after a moment. His eyes lock on the ROOT operatives who are slowly waking up, they narrow. The sannin shifts Nagato over to Yahiko and gives Hibiki an unreadable expression. She bites her lips, knowing very well as to what he was thinking.

They had to deal with them first.

Their simple recon mission had just become very complicated.

 **XOXOX**

 **WHOA! Lots going on in this chapter. How's that for cannon destruction? Also if Jiriaya seems to OOC here I apologize. Didn't mean for that to happen. I hope you all like this chapter. It is currently unedited so my bad, I'll read through it later. About to head in to work and wanted to post it before I left!**

 **Thank you all so much for your comments on the last chapter! You guys are awesome!**

 **Thank you for taking your time and reading this!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	15. Chapter 15

" _And in one loud but strangely calming voice I heard my next order, they'd given me my next command and I'd be a fool not to follow. The order was simple, clear, and all around effective. Move forward and keep going." ~_ **Author Unknown**

 **.15**

The rain taps against the giant window, echoing off the glass. It drowns out all the noise around her. Her eyes stare out the clouded glass. Through the rain induced solitude her mind rages.

She's screwed. Hibiki realizes a few days later while staring out through the glass, after Jiriaya had dealt with the ROOT nin and has left her in Amegakure for the time being. Someone had to stay and make sure that a certain one eyed parasite didn't send anymore assassins after the trio. The sannin was a more credible source when it came to dealing with the Sandaime's former teammate. He would be harder to dispose of too, if it came to that.

In a very weird way by ordering her to stay in Amegakure for the time being. He was protecting her. The notion almost made her want to smile. But it didn't change the fact. She was screwed.

Why? You may be wondering.

Because she came to a very dangerous conclusion before the realization. She liked them. Not only that, but they liked her.

They trusted her.

Therein lied the danger. Hibiki liked them, she'd even go as far to say that she cared about them. Kami knew what she'd do for those she cared about. In such a short time those three that she forgotten about, people she shouldn't have had any interest in had been pulled into a small bubble.

The bubble of the people she would go to the very ends of the earth for. Die for. And the sad part was that they didn't even have to try hard. There was no great obstacle course they had to get past, or hoops to jump through. They were just genuine human beings, who she happened to find herself liking.

They didn't know how much power she'd given them either. They didn't realize what being in the bubble meant. Hibiki had given them the power to ruin her and she didn't even care.

Because of who they were, of who they would have been, and who they could be now. And she had forgotten them. The dark haired girl wouldn't be making that mistake again.

She couldn't bring home every stay she found. Inoichi would throw a fit. The image makes her laugh. Comparing the Ame orphan's the kittens, it's a funny picture.

Someone settles next to her on the stiff sofa. She turns her head from the window, Yahiko brow is raised at her. "I don't understand." Hibiki rose her brow at him in response.

"What don't you understand?" She turns her whole body towards him, giving him her full attention then. Hibiki chewed at her lower lip watching him gather his thought.

"Why did you help us? I've been trying to think of some reason, but I can't. That's what I don't understand." He's observing her trying gauge her reaction, trying to find any sign of deviance or bad intentions. Yahiko comes up short. Hibiki offers him a soft smile.

"Because you needed it." She leans closer pats his hand before standing up and wandering away.

That's all there is to it. He watches her leave with a dumbfounded expression across his face. What a strange girl. Something Jiraiya had said to him before he left finally making sense.

" _HIbiki and I may have our differences Yahiko, but damn I'm glad she's on our side and not someone elses."_

He could see why.

..

Nagato turned the pages of his book slowly, his eyes glanced over the page with a small interest. He's read this book before. It used to be his favorite but for some reason today it just kept putting him off. In the corner of his vision he could see her. She had positioned herself on one of the wide window ledges, head leaned against the glass eyes lost out the window.

The rinnegan user will admit he found her odd. When there sensei told her to stay behind, she'd protested. He thought at first it might have been something to do with them. But watching her now, he realized it was her. She always looked so burdened. Nagato could relate to that.

Konan joins him a little later and settles in a chair across from him, there is a stack of files in her hand. She drops them onto the table between them and then gives him a pointed look. "We need to go through these." Her tone serious as she tells him. Leaving him no room to argue or protest, he leans forward and picks up a file.

The dark teen wanders over to them then. "Personnel files?" She questions while taking a seat on the floor, stretching out her legs in an odd manner. The positioning looks slight uncomfortable, the dark haired teen apparently doesn't seem too bothered though. Konan raises a brow at her but nods.

"How did you know?" Hibiki gives them an amused expression and makes a motion for them to pass on to her. She's stuck here, they trust her, and so she might as well offer her help. Besides she like menial task like this. The ame konouchi still seems hesitant.

"I sort through and update personnel files for the shinobi core on a rather regular bases." Konan has a thoughtful look upon her face as she processes that bit of information. Information about herself that she had just carelessly given them.

"The offer is appreciated, but we probably shouldn't." The golden eyed girl finally decides. Hibiki retracts her hand but doesn't get up. She knows it's not personal.

"Fair enough. If you need any help or advice they offer still stands." Konan gives an appreciative nod in response before resuming her attention to the file at hand.

Hibiki leans back on her arms, her eyes drift back over to the window. The sound of rain tapping gently against the glass calms her. It was one of the one downsides to living in the land of fire, in Konoha specifically. There was hardly ever any rain. At least it wasn't like this. She missed it. If her two companions noticed the longing look in her eyes they didn't mention it.

She wondered briefly, how much longer Jiraiya was planning on leaving her here. He'd given her an order to stay put until otherwise stated by himself or the Hokage. As much as she didn't want too, as much as she'd rather be in the village with her brother and her family, Hibiki followed orders. The sannin already didn't trust her as is, she really didn't want to give him any more reasons by disobeying a direct order.

But that didn't stop the bad vibes she got the longer she was here. The vibes the itched under her skin, interrupted her sleep, and knolled at her bones. She couldn't help but to be worried.

The next realization came suddenly. She was worried about him, despite everything he had said to her. Despite how he had treated her during the earlier days of their mission. Hibiki cared, and because she cared she couldn't shake this sense of dread she had.

She stood suddenly. Nagato and Konan looked up in mild alarm. "Hibiki-san, are you alright?" The Uzumaki teen questioned cautiously. Hibiki's eyes met his for a moment, her tone sincere as she replied.

"I'm not sure. But I have to get back to the village pronto." His eyes widen at her statement. What about her orders? What about them?

"Why?" She startles slightly, having been so distracted she hadn't even realized he'd joined them. Yahiko was leaned against the doorframe, eying her carefully as if he wasn't sure on what to expect from her. Hibiki didn't know what to expect from herself right then either. Her thoughts were a mess.

The walls seem to close in around her, she has to force herself to take a breath. Clear her head. Finally she closes her eyes. A need to relieve her senses take over. She can't think clearly there are too many distractions. Finally after a moment she reopens her eyes and stares directly at Yahiko. Clarity in her eyes.

"I think Jiraiya is in danger. I have to go." Yahiko nods his head.

"I will allow it, take Nagato with you though. If this threat is a bad as both you and sensei think you'll need backup." Hibiki just blankly stares at him for a moment, he couldn't be serious. Yahiko just grins back at her. Nagato just groaned from his spot on the couch, because he could hear it in his teammate's voice.

He totally was.

..

Sakumo needed to remind himself to take a deep breath. He needed to have a talk with his favorite student upon her return to the village about information hording, and what was and wasn't acceptable to keep from your superiors. The White Fang counts to five, takes a breath and then gives his friend a long hard and thoughtful look. "She's going to become a target."

The sannin had decided to speak with his old friend first about the girl and what she'd uncovered while they were in the small country. To his utter amusement and somewhat surprise, Sakumo hadn't actually been that phased by the admittance. He actually seemed resigned to it, as if it was something he had expected to happen. Jiraiya was beginning to realize there was still quite a lot he didn't understand about the girl.

"Probably so, she's painted a large target on her back. Tell me how does someone as non-assuming as her have access to such high clearance level? Because quite frankly the only thing that makes sense to me is that she's either a plant or some sort of master manipulator. And neither option paint her in a good light Sakumo." Sakumo crossed his arms, over his chest in a rather defensive position. He didn't like Jiraiya's current tone while talking about his student. His eyes narrow slightly.

Jiraiya pays him no mind. He knew what sort of bear he'd be poking when he came to the Hatake household that morning.

"She's not a traitor." There is an edge of warning in the silver haired Jonin's tone. This isn't a fight he want to get into with someone he considered a friend. But Hibiki was his student, someone who had figuratively given pieces of her own soul for him, someone he cared about and had sworn to protect. So you can bet he'd fight for her.

Seeming to realize just how sore this subject was, Jiraiya raised his hands in a mock surrender motion. "Don't get so defensive. I am merely stating how it appears to an outsider." Because in honesty that's what he was, and outside to the situation. He didn't know her. She wasn't someone he associated with on a regular basis or even worked with. They had drastically different views, and not to mention two very different jobs within the intelligence community.

He was a spy, the master spy of Konoha. She was a fixer, a paper pushing coder, who had an obscured sense of right and wrong. Jiraiya had no doubt in his mind, that if it meant the happiness and safety for the people she cared about that she'd do anything for them. That thought alone was what made him so bitter when it came to the teen. It was a dangerous position to be in, to care that deeply, and it made her unpredictable.

She was a wild card, and he really hated gambling with one.

"She's not a traitor." Sakumo reiterates his earlier statement, Jiraiya gives him a look.

"I think hiding ones true parentage when concerning doujustu wilding clans could be considered an act of treason. If argued in the right direction." He calmly points out. The sannin had been holding onto that bit he learned for a while, waiting for the right time, to see how his fellow would react.

Instead of the surprise he hoped Sakumo would hold. The dog summoner's expression iced over completely. He suddenly looked very solemn. Jiraiya decided he did not really care for it, not on Sakumo's face at least. Sakumo uncrossed his arms.

His earlier reminder to take a deep breathe popping back up. He pinches the bridge of his nose. "I know that you won't, but you should really forget that you learned about that." For a second the sannin can't actually believe what is happening. Sakumo is asking him to lie. Basically telling him too.

"Master manipulator then, if she has you this willing to commit treason on her behalf." Lying about the state of ones lineage was no small crime, and if found guilty the people responsible could face serious repercussions. Sakumo gives an annoyed huff in response to his comment. "It's not about her."

Jiraiya slams his hands down on the table, their cups of saki shake from the sudden outburst. "Then tell me, we're friends. But if you don't tell me what's going on Sakumo I can't help you!" And he did want to help him. Sakumo was his friend. But they were running out of time.

There was still the issue of who exactly ordered that strike against his former students. It hadn't been the Sandaime either. That much was certain, and Jiraiya who had a slight idea as to who it was and he didn't like it.

Shimura Danzo wasn't someone he wanted to deal with. Not yet. Not when they only had a few pieces of evidence against him and his less than pleasant dealings. It wasn't the right time, if he made a move now without all the pieces it could end really badly.

He could shake this feeling he had either. That Kano Hibiki knew more about it that she was letting on and whatever secrets both her and Sakumo were keeping had something to do with it. Jiraiya was determined to get to the bottom of it. The man across from him sighs deeply, Sakumo shakes his head.

"It's a long story." He warns, his tone wary. Jiraiya leans back in the chair, folding his arms over his chest in the process. A determined look in his eyes. Sakumo had forgotten just how stubborn the sannin could be.

"We've got some time." Sakumo nods his head, he pulls a privacy seal (curtesy of Hibiki) out of pack attached to his hip. Seeing as before Jiraiya showed up he'd been planning on ambushing his other former student for an impromptu evaluation session. He pours them both another cup of the clear liquor, he was going to need it.

He slowly pushes one cup towards Jiraiya then takes the other in his hand and downs the entire cup in a second. The saki burns against his throat but he readily ignores the sensation. "This will be the last time we have this conversation, let's get it over with." Sakumo waits for a nod of understanding from the sannin before he begins.

"Don't be so dramatic Sakumo, just get on with it." Jiraiya speaks his tone annoyed, the other man glares slightly at him.

"Their deaths weren't random!" He finally growls out, trying but with great difficulty not to hit the other man. Jiraiya's expression changes from annoyed to wary in a single moment. His eyes narrow slightly.

"What are you talking about Sakumo?"

"Kano Moriko and her _husband,_ Uchiha Yukio."

 **XOXOX**

 **Finally done with the chapter. I think I rewrote this three different times, each had different revelations at the end. But this is the one that I like the best. Please let me know what you think as always I love to hear from you guys, your reviews help me keep writing.**

 **Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I hope you all have a great day!**

 **Sincerely, La'rae**


	16. Chapter 16

" _The gods need heroes. They always have."_ **~Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian**

 **.16**

She pulled the black rain cloak over her, making sure to obscure her face from view. They didn't need to know she was coming. The cloak cast a shadow over her face and if you looked directly at her the only thing you'd be able to see was red. There wasn't time to be worried about who saw, as they drew closer to the gates the feeling in the pit of her stomach grew worse.

Hibiki didn't like this. She turns her attention over to the Uzumaki, what she could feel of his chakra seemed anxious. "We'll check you in properly afterwards." He returned her statement with a small nod. This was her village, so he wouldn't argue with her on the matter.

It's been almost a week since they left the safety of Amegakure, and almost two since Jiraiya left her with them, she didn't have any time to spare. There is a single anbu guarding the back gate they enter through, a gate reserved for intelligence officers and returning jonin, ones who needed to bypass the scrutiny of the main gate. The agent flairs there chakra at her in a specific manner and from under her coat she slips a single hand out visible enough for the agent to interrupt and goes through a fast string of signs. Crane lets them slip through, he doesn't alert anyone else of their presence per her request and goes back to his task.

Crane liked the teen, as a former squad mate of the White Fang he trusted her judgment as the man's student. If anything went wrong from her sudden appearance, she'd also take the fall for it. He could only wonder what had her in such a hurry.

Hibiki stopped when they reached the entrance of the market district, she pulled them both into an alley. Nagato started to protest the rough housing but she held a finger up to her lips. Using her other hand she pointed at an empty spot on a roof a few stores away. "Genjutsu." She mutters lowly, they were going to have to go a different route.

Nagato watched her for a moment in utter fascination, he'd never seen someone look that serious. He hadn't really understand it either. Hibiki couldn't explain to them why she felt like something terrible was going to happen to their former teacher just that she did and she couldn't shake the feeling. Another thing he couldn't wrap his head around was how someone like the man both his sensei and the dark haired girl had mention briefly was allowed to operate in a village like Konoha.

They had the sort of reputation that would lead you to believe they didn't condone such things.

She closed her eyes, she wasn't a sensor and if she wanted to pinpoint a single chakra signature in the mass of thousands in the village she needed to focus. A few seconds she found it. Hibiki bit her lip, he was in one of the training fields and he wasn't alone. Her hand reached forward grabbing Nagato by his cloak covered shoulder.

"I'm sorry." And then she'd pushing her chakra into the hiraishin kunai Minato had gifted to her before she left for the front. It had been a prototype then one to use only as a last resort and she hadn't had the amount of chakra to use it when she'd been taken. He'd since knocked out the kinks in the seal and fixed the one he'd given to her.

They land briefly on the other side of the Market district, Hibiki can hear Nagato gasping for breath besides her and she feels a slight tinge of guilt for not warning him. "Take a breath and hold it." She warns this time before making the large jump to the seal plastered at the start of the training grounds. Hibiki has transported them out of the way but there is no mistaking what's going on around them.

It only brought one question to mind, how was a fight of the magnitude taking place so close to the main district and no one noticing anything? She'll forgive Crane for his lack of reaction seeing as the entrance they'd originally came through was on the other side of the village. But where in the world were the other anbu? Hibiki doesn't worry with it for too much longer because her fears were about to be confirmed and there wasn't any time to think.

Nagato has never seen anyone move that fast, one instant she is standing next to where they appeared in the clearing the next she is jumping over a masked figure across the field. The electricity conducting staff in her hands _(had she had that on her person the whole time?)_ makes contact with the kunai that was about to hit the blonde male trying to fight the masked shinobi. He briefly recognizes him from the description Jiraiya had given. This must be Namikaze Minato, the yellow flash.

"Where is Jiraiya?" She questions him while helping him off the ground, before blocking another kunai aimed for her friend. Face still covered, but he knows her voice, and holds out one of his hands. He needs a minute.

Minato is gasping for breath, this hadn't been how he expected his day to go. Sensei was back in the village and had wanted to see how his hiraishin technique was coming along. They'd come out to one of the training fields further away from the village, it wasn't but thirty minutes later when their own anbu started to attack them. Jiraiya managed to lure most of them after him, but a few stayed around to make sure Minato couldn't follow after his teacher to help him.

Just as he's about to reply the ground beneath the quakes, and it pulls in all the masked men leaving the two of them standing in the middle with varying expressions. Hibiki looks up to find Nagato's hood down and his hands touching the earth. She smiles at him despite the situation. "Good job Nagato!" His head nods demurely as he stands and heads over to them. Minato for all his genius looks incredibly confused, as if he thought the day couldn't get any weirder. Because from the looks of it that was the rennigan and that shouldn't have even been possible.

He shakes his head. Now was not the time. "He ran off that way, but he had several of these guys following him." Minato points in the direction of where the woods start to thicken. She nods her head.

"He's probably leading them into forty-four." Hibiki mutters to herself before looking between the two men. Minato the powerhouse that he was didn't need to push himself any further, and then she looked at Nagato making a note of his overall appearance. He looked fine, a little out of breath, he could possibly go on a lot longer than herself. But she'd better not push it. There was no telling what reaction he'd have if he kept using the rennigan like that. She makes her decision.

"Minato, I need you and Nagato to go report the situation to the Sandaime. It would appear we have a traitor in our midst. Nagato tell the Sandaime everything that happened when we arrived in Ame. I don't know what Jiraiya has already told him so it's best we cover our bases." Minato blinks at her. He doesn't believe his eyes, this isn't the same Hibiki he remembered. This wasn't the quiet bookworm from the academy.

This woman was a force to be reckoned with, and Minato knew better than to get in her way.

"And what about you? What are you going to do?" He questioned, having this sinking feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer. Although the hood cast a dark shadow over her face he knew she was smirking.

"Obviously I'm going after your idiot of a sensei." The shadow around her face in that one instance lighten and for the first time since her arrival in the clearing he could see her face fully. He gasped.

But it's not the dark red in the place of her blue/gray that is the cause of it. While that revelation is startling and rather unexpected it is not what caused him to gasp. No it is the blood streaming down her cheeks from her eyes like tears. "You are bleeding." His tone wary, as if he's not sure.

Hibiki reaches up to touch her cheek, the sticky feeling of blood against her fingers tips confirms it. "So I am." She mutters distractedly. This was bad. But there wasn't time, she shakes her head.

"Alright take these guys to Ino, then report to the Hokage. I have to go." She darts off in the direction of where Jiraiya had previously led the other ROOT agents away. Giving neither of them time to protest or stop her. Minato cursed.

"Dumbass."

Nagato sent a worried look in direction she'd disappeared in. He hoped she knew what she was doing. Because he had this sinking suspicion that she was just winging it. Minato looked over at the red head and had to do a double take. "You must be Nagato." The Uzumaki nods.

"And you must be Minato." Minato rolls his eyes but returns the gesture.

"Nice to meet you, terrible circumstances aside." Nagato was beginning to think that sarcasm was a trait of all leaf shinobi. "Same." He mutters, pulling the chakra suppressant seals Hibiki had given him out of his pack. It wouldn't be long before the enemies around them would be waking up.

Minato wanted to go after Hibiki, as someone who considered her to be a friend he wanted to help her. But as a leaf shinobi he knew she was right and this situation needed to be reported to the Hokage immediately. There wasn't any time to spare, anbu was acting against the Hokage and he needed to be aware. He shook his head, taking some of the premade seals out of the red head's hands.

"She'll be okay." Minato could see the worried look in the supposed Uzumaki's eyes. The teen looked unsure for a moment before closing his eyes. Nagato hoped so.

..

She cursed, loudly. Carefully pulling the kunai out of her shoulder blade while doing so and the immediately dropping into a dodge to avoid another one hitting her. Jiraiya was a few meters from her, he had two small frogs with him and seemed to be alright for the moment. Hibiki panted as she made a swipe for one of the two agents attacking her. It was getting to the point where incapacitating them wasn't going to be an option. No matter how many of the roaches she knocked down more just kept appearing.

How the fuck had this even been allowed?

"You okay over there!" His voice bellows across the space between them and she gives a quick thumb up.

"Making it!" She sputters between gasp for air. The next second she's using the replacement jutsu and has traded places with one of the ROOT agents gunning for the Sannin. Hibiki ducks under Jiraiya's arm hands in rapid motion ending with the seal for horse, the flames of a tame version of fire breath warmed her throat and erupted from her lips at the moment.

As the fire dies on her tongue Hibiki drops down to the ground her hands slamming onto the warm earth beneath them. "Summoning jutsu." She mutters, as it was about the only thing she was capable of that moment. Two lions appear besides her, but they don't stay at her side long, each launching into an attack around her.

Her vision is blurry, her chakra is all but gone, she's bleeding and bruised and in the moment she wants to give up. It would be so easy just to roll over and take it. That thought dies no sooner than it's entered her head and is replaced with one thing playing on repeat in her brain. What about Obito?

What would happened to her brother if she died here? Who would protect him? What about all the things still to come? How would she keep him safe if she just accepted defeat here? She growled in pure frustration. Just because she was tired didn't give her any right or reason to give up, she had to push through this.

Hibiki wobbles to her feet, the focus shifts. Everything next happened on auto pilot. She had to make sure they live through this. They just have to make it until back up arrives. Because it should be coming if Minato did as she asked.

A kunai soars through the air, whizzing right past her cheek it lands into the jugular of a ROOT agent that was about to attack her from behind. The silver haired Jonin looks absolutely livid and so does the Sandaime who is standing right behind him along with every other member of the small group with them. In the moment everything freezes for just a few seconds.

Because their Hokage is here, looking pissed two ways to Sunday and Hibiki is having a hard time believing it was real. "Enough." The Sandaime speaks, the cool tone of his voice sends shivers down her skin. Kami he sounded it too.

The ROOT agents still around them. But not because of the Hokage, no their movements halt suddenly because of the man standing directly to his side. Shimaru Danzo's expression is a blank mask, but in his eyes his agents can see the storm.

Hibiki can see it too, and seeing him there after everything that had just happened enrages her. Without even blinking, or thinking, she acts on pure instinct alone. In that moment truly understands why the mangekyo was considered a curse.

She didn't even think about it, the reaction had been so instant, so thoughtless that once it has happens she almost regrets it. But not for the reason everyone else will guess, it's not what she did that she regrets but how. This wasn't how she wanted it to go.

But the moment there eyes meet the reaction is simultaneous so there's no time to stop it. She can't just take it back. It's too late for that and to be honest, she doesn't want to. He falls forwards landing on his knees, clutching at his chest grasping for air. Hibiki watches him with a blank expression, no one can save him now. Small cracks appear along the surface of his skin, the color slowly drains out of his face.

This is the final manifestation of her mangekyo. "Don't just stand there, kill her." He hisses forcing himself back to his feet, Hibiki admires his resilience but he should know he's a dead man walking. Once started the cracks began like Amaterasu they could not be stopped until they consumed their victim.

One singular ROOT agent takes the spoken order with a nod of his masked head. Hibiki now completely out of ckakra, on the very last leg, has no time to react or even dodge the incoming attack. The Hokage too shocked by the events transpiring around is frozen in his spot, he can't believe the happenings before his eyes. Even with so many familiar faces and allies around her she feels utterly alone.

Sakumo reacts no sooner than the masked shinobi made a move forward, his intent clear. But just like with what happened to her father, he's too late to stop it and is forced to watch as a katana skewers through her back and out of her chest, and then the blade is pulled out. He is in front of her in just enough time to catch her as she falls, the blood she chocks up splattering across his face. Before he can do anything about the agent a lion is jumping over both himself and his student.

Its teeth sink into the ROOT shinobi's jugular, and with one quick snap of his jaw crushes the human's fragile neck. The blood drips from the male lions teeth, and stains the golden fur. He drops the dead human without a single hint of remorse. No one hurt his master and got away with it.

The entire clearing becomes deadly quiet, with the exception of the manic laughter of the dying elder. In that moment Sakumo loses it completely. Gently he lays Hibiki on the ground, and he unsheathes his sword. His eyes meet the Sandaime's briefly, and the aging Hokage nods his head. His former friend had just proved himself the traitor that Jiraiya had been trying to convince him of for a long time now.

He gives his attention to the medic they'd brought with them. "Attend to the girl." She nods her head and rushes away from his side and over to the dying girl.

Hiruzen would forever regret how long it took him to believe his student. If he had had a little more faith in Jiraiya then maybe none of this would have happened. He steps away from the elder making a path for the jonin. Sakumo doesn't speak as he passes him, his eyes are dead set on the elder.

His free hand pulls the elder up by the front of his top. Shimaru actually spits in his face, Sakumo's dark expression doesn't change if anything it only deepens. He doesn't give in to the taunt though, and like the honorable man his is despite what he wanted to do the man he gives him a quick death. The blade of his sword runs through and back out of the elder's heart quickly. Sakumo drops him the forest floor just like his agent had done to Hibiki, his entire body turns to ash as it meets the ground.

Just like that it's finally over. He'd finally avenged his teammates, her parents. Sakumo drops his weapon at his feet and turns away from it. He takes in the desolation around him and his heart breaks once more. There running out of time. The realization comes swiftly, it causes him to push past the others between them.

He drops to his knees besides her. It feels terribly familiar sensation that greets him as he takes in her appearance. Sakumo would never forget it, how could he? When the last time he'd seen her in such dire state had been because he'd left her behind. At every corner it seemed like he kept failing her, that she kept getting hurt because of his actions.

Her eyes are barely open, her breathing is shallow. Blood dried on her face, electrical burns encase around her right hand, small cuts and bruises run up the lengths of her arms. It's not the worse he's seen her look, but it's not good either. If they don't get her to the hospital soon she will die.

"We're going to have to move her." The medics tone is somber, because she knows how difficult it would be and what was at stake if they didn't do it right. He gives a small nod and moves out of the way as the other medic joins them. They lay a gurney by her side.

"We'll need your help for this part Hatake-san. Itoka has to keep pressure on the wound to keep Kano-san from bleeding out." He nods.

"Okay, on the count of three. One, two, three." They manage to slide her onto the gurney without too much trouble, but just as they get her strapped to the transport her half opened eyes shut and a limp hand falls over the side.

 **XOXOX**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **It took me a really long time to decide how this chapter was going to play out. I struggled over it for several days. To kill Danzo here or not to kill Danzo here, that was the question that had been plaguing my mind since I started writing this chapter. Ultimately I decided that this was where he was going to die. Because as long as he's around Hibiki's plans are at a standstill, she can't focus on saving Obito from his fast approaching demise if she has to constantly look over her shoulder. So yes, Danzo is dead, and all his wrong deeds had been brought into the light.**

 **I promise that we will touch on the revelation that Sakumo made last chapter about her parents in the future I haven't forgotten about it, as it will play a big role in the things to come.**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, and for those who do not partake have a wonderful day!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	17. Chapter 17

" _I'm starting to realize that people lack good mirrors. It's so hard for anyone to show us how we look, & so hard for us to show anyone how we feel." _**~John Green, Paper Towns**

 **.17**

"My granddaughter is in there fighting for her life, after all but giving it for the sake of this village and you are questioning me about topics that at the moment don't really matter!" Atsuko dark gray eyes had turned to steel, she no longer resembled the gentle woman they all knew so well. This woman before them was a lioness ready to devour whomever tried to harm her cub. Proving yet again how much she truly cared for her granddaughter.

The elder Uchiha was livid. She should be in there holding Hibiki's lifeless hand praying for her recovering instead she was standing in a very secure hospital hallway arguing over the likes of something none of them had any business knowing. Sakumo place a hand on the aging woman's shoulder, she turned her steel eyes on him. He gave a small nod of his head. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"And we aren't questioning her actions, we respect everything she's done for the village-" Atsuko scoffed as if they knew the extent of everything Hibiki had done. "-that's not the point here." She held her hand up effectively cutting off her own clan head.

"No that is the point here, you are questioning her actions and motives. If she hid this, hid the truth about her parents then what else is she hiding? What ulterior motives does she have? That's what you're thinking. I may be old, but do not take me for stupid. Now if you'll excuse me." Atsuko walked away from the small group heading back into the room her hand on the door knob. It was a clear dismissal, but also a testament to how much faith the old woman had in the teen. They weren't going to be able to get anything from her.

Atsuko would rather cut off her own hand than spill her granddaughters secrets. Those weren't hers to tell. Hibiki had always known what was coming, she knew that this day would come that the truth would be brought to light and there would be consequences. The old woman just wished she'd been awake and aware to deal with them, instead of the current unconscious status she was currently under.

Fugaku just stared at the old woman, Sakumo actually offered him a semi sympathetic look. Although he wholeheartedly agreed with the choices they'd made when they decided to hide her Uchiha status from the very clan, he did in fact understand where the younger man was coming from and why this was such a big deal. The Hatake head knew that Atsuko-san understood that as well the only difference between their understandings was that she could hardly give a damn about their reasons. Atsuko had never been pro-clan though, in her entire life she'd never just bought into the whole clan before all else.

Why should she have? She'd lost almost her entire family because of the clan, and she wasn't about to let it have the last ruminates of that either. They were her grandchildren and she'd sworn to take care of them. For all she cared the young clan head could go and fuck himself, because she wasn't going to let him continue with his brash implications about her granddaughter's character.

Sakumo also knew something about the young man that Atsuko probably had forgotten. Something so simple, so small, but it made such a difference and it was who exactly was his wife's best friend. Fugaku's personal and professional duties clashed, because Hibiki was Mikoto's friend, his friend, and as her friend he was worried about her, about her wellbeing. But as the Uchiha clan head, he felt slighted.

Hibiki being an Uchiha, having a fully unlocked sharringan, was a huge break in the chain. It didn't paint a good picture for them. How had something of this magnitude gone unnoticed for so long? Every child born to an Uchiha even civilians and bastards were accounted for. How had they managed something like that? It shouldn't have been possible, the clan was thorough in their investigation of potential Uchiha spawn. But never in the entire time Fugaku had known her, never in a million years would he have expected her to be a part of his clan. Until two days ago if anyone ever mentioned the possibility to him he would have denied it. She was about as much of an Uchiha as a cat was a fish.

The confliction boiled under his skin. Finally after a long pause, his concern for the woman gave out. Fugaku let out a sigh, watching the elder disappear through the room's door. He gave a slight bow to the Hatake clan head who appeared as if he could see into his thoughts and gave an understanding nod in return. "Mikoto wanted me to offer you her prayers." His tone ambivalent in nature, Sakumo offers him a sympathetic look in return but also a gracious one.

"Give your wife our thanks. And Uchiha-dono, you'll get your answers in due time." Fugaku nodded his head, turning on his heel and heading down the hallway a stony look on his face. His assistant hurried behind him after offering the Hatake head a slight bow.

Sakumo rolled his eyes, how tedious. Somethings never really changed.

..

Water dripped down slowly, splattering across her forehead. It echoed in the silence, the only noise to be heard. Slowly she pulled herself up into a sitting position. Taking in the surroundings before pushing to her feet. The surface beneath her feet wavered, reminding her that this wasn't a stable ground. Bringing forth another realization, after all her previous time spent there how could she forget it? She was back. Only this time she wasn't cast so far out to sea as the beach was easily seen in the distance.

Hibiki sighed. The memories slowly starting to resurfaces. She clutched at her chest moments later when some of her last conscious memories broke forth. Phantom sensations haunting her. She'd been stabbed, but oh kami she didn't have time to do this right now!

It wasn't supposed to go that way. She had no idea how this was going to affect everything. Panic starts to set in. The beach seems further away, and for the briefest of moments she feels utterly trapped. Hibiki falls to her knees the water splashes around them from the impact. One hand still grasping at her heart the other palm against the water pushing chakra into it to keep above the depth. Her thoughts rage, lungs gasp for the air burning from the sensation, her visions blurs.

"You're pathetic." The silence broken, the image of the serene ocean shatters around her until all the remains in an empty white void. Someone bends down to her level forcing an arm around her quivering shoulders and pulling her up.

It's like looking in a mirror. "You do all this planning, all this work, you've slowly been giving everything and everyone pieces of me and yet you're just going to give up. Now of all times, because you killed one man. Come on, we've done a lot worse." Her voice mocks her, the smile on her lips cynical but tired. The truth of the statement hits hard. Because its right, but it just feels so wrong.

"You need to stop thinking so hard on it. He's dead, as in he is never going to be a problem for us ever again. So let it go. Don't be so predictably pathetic. Here I thought we were better than that." She makes no indication that theirwords have any effect on her. The reflections expression changes then, from mocking to serious in seconds. They reach out and grab her shoulders holding her in place.

"You made a promise, to me, to us. We were going to save him, no matter what. Are you just going to forget that? Just let it go as if it wasn't why we've done everything so far. If that's the case then maybe it's time we give up, maybe we should die here. Besides Obito wouldn't love us anyway if he knew, that our love was a lie." Hibiki jerks herself out of the vice grip pushing the reflection down. The mirrored imagine gives a satisfied grin in return. She growls at the stupid grin on her own face.

"Don't you ever say anything like that again! I love him more than anything, and I made a promise one I intend to keep. It's not a lie." The smug look of the reflection is one of the last things she sees, the creation of her own mind gives a sort of beast like smile in return. "Good."

The void breaks as waves come crashing around her, water pouring out of nowhere knocking into her. She takes a breath as a final rush of current pulls her under holding it as long as possible until she just has to let it go. Waters fills her lungs and burns at her throat until all the remains is darkness.

She jolts up in the hospital bed gasping for air, panicked and dazed. Ripping out an IV in the process that sends one of the monitors into a frenzy. Hibiki clutches the fabric of the hospital gown around her chest, her heart racing under her skin. It takes a moment to register that everything is still completely dark, there's something wrapped around her eyes. Her free hand goes to touch it but is stopped mid-way.

The hand that wrapped around hers is familiar, in the momentary blindness she has to rely on her other but still hazy senses, is warm to the touch but ever so slightly calloused around the finger tips. Long but skilled fingers interlace with hers while drawing her hand to her lap. There's a residual scent of mixed flowers and herbs followed by a more pressing smell of coffee and old mission reports. Even without seeing them she should have known after a moment of deductions who exactly is holding her hand.

But she couldn't see, and she'd woken up blind and in a panic so the deductions of who is holding her hand doesn't come in time. She can't see the bigger picture, she can't think straight, her thoughts are to jumbled together nothing makes any sense. Slowly she's sinking in the what if's, and without warning she feels likes she can't breathe, she's drowning in the darkness all over again.

Her whole body is being shifted, warm around wrap around her even when she flails her own limbs in a fit of fear as her body shakes and protests the sudden feeling. Through the entire fit, through the tears she hadn't realized she'd started to cry. His arms are around her, holding her close as if letting her go would physically kill him.

"Shh… It's okay, everything is going to be okay." The tone is gentle and soothing in nature, repeating the same mantra quietly over and over again until her breathing has evened out and she can metaphorically see clearly. Her body becomes heavy, she stills in his arms, and he presses a kiss the top of her head still whispering calming words.

He helps her readjust in the bed, fluffing the pillows under her head before sliding off of the small hospital bed. She rolls onto her side despite the small protest he gives about it, reaching out and grabbing onto his arms. The door opens a nurse announces her presence sounding tired, but Hibiki can't find herself to care. In that moment she doesn't want to be alone in the darkness with a stranger.

"Stay." Her voice is raspy from the crying, and he sighs at her demure tone. He resumes his previous seat next to her bed while relinquishing his hand for her to hold. Knowing that right then he was her only lifeline to reality and he couldn't just leave her.

"Yamanaka-sama, the visiting hours ended hours ago." The nurse does tell him, but he can tell by the look in her eye that she's not going to do anything about it.

"Think of it as guard duty then." She nods her head before ducking out of the room after reattaching the IV and making a quick check of the patient's vitals. Knowing that even if she tried to kick him out he'd just find his way back in again.

They don't talk for the longest time, Hibiki slips in and out of awareness for a few minutes as he mind has not fully grasped the concept of being awake. But when she does, when she can finally form coherent thoughts she has a million questions.

Inoichi rubs small circles on her hand with his thumb while he waits for her to come too. He watches the half visible expressions dance across her features while she tries to formulate thoughts. She'll have questions no doubt, but he wanted to wait to answer them until she asked. No matter how long it took.

"What happened?" Eventually she manages, speaking as if the questions weights literal tons on her lips. Asking it while knowing how loaded of a question it was, but also how vague it could be. Because where did she want him to start with that? What did she want to know? So much had happened.

In the end he decided on the one that would be the hardest for her to sallow, the one that take her a moment to accept. The answer that he knew would break her. Not because of what it meant, but because how finite it could have been. "We almost lost you. You were technically dead when they got you to the hospital." Her heart breaks at the sound of his voice, the physical pain she can hear in his tone at the admittance. She never wanted that to happen.

She squeezes his hand tightly. "I not going anywhere." He shakes his head although he knows she can't see it while wrapping his other hand around her, holding her hand between his.

"Of course not, I'm not going to let you." Hibiki smiles at him, and kami it hurts. To think he'd almost lost the chance to see it again. That her beautiful kind smile had almost been taken from him again. There was still so much he wanted for her, so much life she had left to live, and she'd almost lost it. He still hadn't told her.

"Of course." Her words come out mixed within a yawn. The grip on his hand loosens as she pulls the appendage close to her chest. He leans forward brushing a stand of her dark tangled hair from out of her face.

"Get some rest." He mummers.

"Don't leave." Inoichi rolls his eyes, while sitting back in the chair reopening the book he'd abandoned earlier. He wouldn't dare.

"I'm not, now go back to sleep. We'll talk more when it is a more appropriate time of day." Hibiki drifts off into dreamless sleep moments later. He knew she needed to get all the rest she could because once daylight came and everyone realized she was up and aware, nothing was stopping the wolves from descending upon them.

 **XOXOX**

 **Figured I'd give you a short chapter for Christmas. To be honest I actually hadn't expected to be finished with this chapter until Monday but it was actually easier to write this chapter than I originally thought it was going to be. So yeah.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, please let me know what you think! Also thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter you guys are awesome!**

 **Have a great day!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	18. Chapter 18

" _In three words I can sum up everything I've leanred about life: it goes on."_ _ **~Robert Frost**_

 **.18**

Kushina deserved a damn award. Inoichi decided in that moment, he'd been sitting casually in Hibiki's hospital room reading her a book. Her eyes still hadn't healed completely and she was still wearing the bandages around them. When all of the sudden one of the numerous Uchiha-council member tried to enter the room, as they had been for a few days, to interrogate her. He'd put the book down and was about to as politely as he could manage tell them to fuck off and get lost when all the sudden the Uzumaki women was standing behind them with probably the scariest expression he'd ever seen from the red head on her face.

She grabbed the middle-aged man by the collar of his shirt and shoved him out of the room forcefully before aggressively slamming the door behind her. The whole thing happened in a matter of seconds, which left him blinking in confusion. Kushina reemerged a minute later, this time with a pleasant smile on her face and cheery disposition.

"Hello Ino-kun, Hibi-chan." Kushina greeted taking the seat on the opposite side of the bed across from the blond. She leaned forward, touching Hibiki's hands before dropping an orange into them. Hibiki nodded her thanks before starting to peal the fruit, this was something she could do easily even while blind.

"They just can't seem to take a hint." Hibiki muttered before sticking an orange slice in her mouth. As if it was manna from the gods and she hadn't eaten in years. Which he'll have you know wasn't the case, Chouzo had brought her some approved foods earlier today. Inoichi sighed at her antics and strange orange obsession.

"What happens now?" Kushina questions while giving Inoichi a knowing look. She'd seen the way he looked at her friend, they'd all been friends for too long for her not to notice. Hibiki shrugged her shoulders turning to face the voice.

"Sensei says there will be a trial, not for the death that's being considered a mission casualty or something. They aren't going to deface Shimaru, there's no point, not without endangering a lot of our undercover assets." The Uzumaki watches as Hibiki's hands tighten around the fruit in her grasp. As if the concept that Shimaru gets to go clean bothers her, as if the whole thought makes her sick. It does.

"So then what is the trial for?" Kushina really couldn't think of anything else the dark haired girl would be on trial for if it wasn't for the death of the elder. Inoichi takes the peel of orange out of Hibiki's hands throwing it in the bin besides him. His eyes meet Kushina's then, and he sighs.

"The trial is being demanded for by the Uchiha clan, they want to convict Hibiki and everyone involved in the hiding of her Uchiha status of treason. Which is a rather long list, that includes the Sandaime and two clan heads." He told her, ignoring the pout he was getting from Hibiki in response of him taking the orange out of her hands. Kushina's expression shifted, her lips formed a small 'o'.

"In the end, they won't be able to trial everyone on the list as most of them a protected by their clan's policies and one of them is the current Hokage. So it really is a front. I'm being trialed for treason and they will also be trying to determine my mental state. If the Uchiha council can prove that the sharringan has somehow damaged my mind, I'll be stripped of all my clearance and forced out of my intelligence position." Hibiki continued the explanation, leaning back into the pillow resting her head on the headboard. Her tone tired. Kushina frowned.

"I don't understand. Why are they going to so much effort to discredit you? What is the point to all of that?" Hibiki shook her head at Kushina's puzzled tone.

"Because in their eyes she has made them a fool." Kushina shifts her attention over to Inoichi, she takes in his words carefully. Still not quite understanding the situation. She furrows her brows in confusion.

"What? That's just stupid." She exclaimed sounding a tad exasperated at the same time. The Yamanaka nodded his head in agreement. It was stupid, but it was also unfortunately just how things were.

Hibiki tuned them both out while Inoichi continued to explain the situation to her red headed friend. She needed to think. This could end very badly for her. Because she knew that losing her clearance level was the least of her concerns here, they wouldn't actually be able to take that from her. It just wouldn't be allowed. But the things they could do, those were the things she was worried about.

The Uchiha were an extremely powerful and influential clan that she'd just pissed off. She had made them feel slighted and if they wanted too that could and would take Obito from her. Obito who was a named Uchiha, who was young and stubborn, who was a proud member of his clan, who was one of the only family members she had left. They could take him from her without blinking, and there would be nothing she could do to stop them.

It was this fact that had her worried.

"Hibiki?" The dark haired girl startled in her spot. She'd been caught. Again, she'd spaced out while around Kushina and only to be called out on it. That was actually rather typical of her.

"I drifted, sorry." Instead of the usual exasperated reaction that tended to follow when she was caught spacing out. Kushina reached forward took her hands, interlacing their fingers in a comforting manor.

"Don't apologize. I know your worried, but I swear to you everything will work out fine." The confidence in her words helped settled the younger girls worries if even for a moment. Hibiki nodded her head. She wanted to believe Kushina, more than anything.

Inoichi sat back in the hospital chair, watching Hibiki for a moment. She was calmer that she had been in days and for a second time in the last half hour he had the same thought. Kushina really did deserve an award.

…

Obito was having a terrible horrible no good very bad day. Or at least that was what it felt like at that moment. Team Minato had just returned from a short delivery mission to one of the closer border post. That in it of itself wasn't the cause of his current predicament about how his day was going. Nor the fact that for some reason, not yet disclosed to him, he would have to be staying with his sensei for a few days. While annoying, it didn't make for a bad day.

No, you see what made for a horrible no good day was to find out that his sister was in the hospital after sustaining a life threatening injury and him not being allowed to see her at all. Besides the fact that she was being held in a high security ward, sneaking in would have been easy. He was Uchiha Obito after all, sneaking around adults had always been one of his specialties. Hibiki had made sure he could despite his natural affinity to clumsiness could go unnoticed by almost anyone. Suppressing his chakra signature, being light on his feet, so on and so forth. His sister had always stressed how important those things could be. So you can be sure that if he had been given the opportunity, he'd be in the hospital room with her right now. But here he was, stuck with his teammates at the training ground furthest from the hospital.

The dark haired teen let out a dramatic groan while throwing himself into the ground. Minato could really be a sadistic teacher sometimes. As if the jonin could sense the ire of his student he smirked at Obito before settling in the grass next to him. Kakashi and Rin followed soon after, neither looking anywhere near as put out as Obito currently did.

"I just don't get it. Why can't I go see her?" Obito grumbled as Rin leaned over to check his body for any scratches or cuts derived from the previous spar. Minato sighed at the pre-teen. Sometimes he could really see Hibiki's influence in his student's disposition others not so much.

"You just have to be patient Obito. At the moment Hibiki isn't in any condition to receive visitors." The blonde only felt slightly guilty for lying to his student. But he had this feeling that the truth would break the young chunin. Minato wanted to spare Obito some of the pain, for as long as he could.

Obito crossed his arms over his chest in a rather defiant manor. Rin pinched his elbow for being rude while fixating him with a sharp look. Kakashi ignored them both instead turned his attention to the book he'd pulled from his mission pack. The Uchiha grumbled under his breath while rubbing the fading red skin on his elbow that had hurt.

"Minato-sensei, how come Kano-san got hurt so badly in the first place. I though Obito-kun said she was on a simple intelligence meeting? Surely she shouldn't have suffered any life threatening injuries from that." His female student was perhaps too smart for her own good. Minato though warily. He could see the influence that Hibiki had had on her as well.

He shrugged his shoulders. Even now several days later it still wasn't making any sense to him. Jiriaya and Hibiki had been on a simple mission to Amegakeru. It shouldn't have turned out like this, but somehow it had. To make matters worse no one was really saying anything on the matter. They had one dead elder, one apparent Uchiha, and a load of bureaucratic BS to comb through. Just thinking about it was giving him a slight headache.

Kakashi looked up from his book then. Giving the brunette girl a pointed look. "You can't just ask questions like that. All mission regarding their rank have a level of after effect secrecy. Hibiki-san, especially considering her position in T&I is no exception." Minato shook his head and decided to put an end to this discussion then. He really didn't want to have to break up another fight between Obito and Kakashi today.

"Alright, that's enough. Let's go get lunch. Then Obito we'll stop by your house to get a few of your things." Obito gritted his teeth but nodded his head. Minato sighed, standing up first and making a motion for his students to follow. He could already sense that lunch was going to be a long affair.

…

Despite how often Inoichi stopped by to visit Hibiki during her blind stay at the hospital, it was Sakumo who was there with her when they finally removed the bandages from her eyes to check their process. The Hatake head was pretending to be there for the guard duty the Hokage had enforced over her while blind but Hibiki knew better. Sakumo was worried about her, about the situation, and it was rather easy to read. "Kushina got Obito set up in their guest room, he's asking questions." He tells her while the nurse carefully unwraps the bandage around her head.

"What did you tell him?" She questions fidgeting nervously in her seat, the nurse follows by telling her to be still. Sakumo snickers at her.

"Atsuko-san made some excuse about the plumbing in his room bursting, although from how exasperated she sounded that might have actually been true." If Hibiki could have seen him in that moment she was sure he'd be rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"That's probably true then, Atsuko-oba said the plumbing was going to be an issue going into the winter. Ino said we had a freeze a few days ago." Sakumo made a strange sound at that. The nurse actually smirked at him.

"So has Inoichi been by often? But yes, there was in fact a bit of a frost earlier in the week. " There was something in his tone, that Hibiki wasn't quite sure how she felt about it.

"Is Atsuko staying at home?" Hibiki asked, decieding to ignore Sakumo's strange behavior. "One more layer, and then we'll be done." The medic speaks softly, pulling Hibiki's attention back to them.

"I tried to get her to come stay on the Hatake compound, but she politely declined. Claimed she'd be able to deal with any wayward council member who tried to stop by. She's rather stubborn." He said just as the final layer of bandages came off and the medic exclaim. "There we go." Promptly putting their conversation on hold.

Because after several days of darkness. She could finally see the light again. The nurse smiled kindly at her, Hibiki took in every small detail of the woman's face. This was the woman who had been over seeing her recovery for the last week, so it was nice to finally see what she looked like. "How does it feel?" Hibiki turned her head to look over at her sensei.

Sakumo was wearing his casual jonin attire, he appeared nonchalant. But like she'd said before she knew he was worried. If the dark circles under his eyes were any indicator. "Have you been sleeping?" She narrowed her eyes at him, her tone scolding. He actually laughed then, scratching the back of his head.

"Kano-san, is there any spots, or blurriness in your vision." Hibiki turned back to look at the medic. She had a small flash light in her hand and looked to be ready to begin the next round of test. The dark haired girl gave a small nod of her head.

"There seems to be a small section in my right eye, at the peripheral that does something weird as I turn my head." The next second the small pointed light is aimed in her right eye. It takes a lot of willpower from the teen not to go and rub her eye. It takes a moment for her to regain her focus once the light clicks off, but she does regain a bit of it in time to the perplexed look on the woman's face.

"Itoka-san?" Sakumo's concerned tone filters into her ears next. The medic shakes her head.

"It seems you have slight residual blindness in your right eye. Luckily with more time it will completely heal and your vision should return at full. Until then absolutely no use of the sharingan. The slightest change of the chakra pressure around the tenketsu points.." Itoka let it hang at that, but the warning was clear. "And take it easy, but as of today you are free to go home Kano-san. Congratulations. You've officially survived two attempts on your life." The medic turned her attention to Sakumo then.

"You will see her home yes?" He gave a small nod, and then cast a reassuring smile towards his student. Sakumo could feel her anxiety from where he was standing.

"Good. Well Kano-san, I hope not to see you back in this unit any time soon." Itoka took her leave then, wishing them both a good day. The door slammed loudly behind her. Sakumo shook his head at the spot the medic had previous occupied.

Sakumo handed Hibiki a clean shirt from one of the bags Kushina had made sure to send with him. He turned slightly to give her some privacy. But at this point it probably didn't really matter, or at least to her it wouldn't have. She didn't have such reservation about those sorts of thing. Then again, she'd always been a strange girl.

Hibiki examined the article of clothing Sakumo had thrown at her for a moment. This wasn't something from her closet, at least she didn't think it was. She shrugged, it appeared to be easier to put on than anything she owned. That much she knew. With great care she slipped out of the hospital grown, delicate in mind of stitches and still healing cuts.

She's never really seen anything like it. The shirt that was, it had the vague sense of the zip up shirt Karin had worn in the manga but minus the zipper and the collar. Instead the deep purple panel folded over her chest hocking on to snaps that were placed right at collar bone level. The sleeves were long, but there was a cut out at the elbow leaving them exposed. Her elbows weren't the only skin the shirt left exposed, there was a good portion of her abdomen showing as well. All and all she really didn't know how she felt about the blouse, or why she was fixating on it. "Where did this come from?" Sakumo turned his head around to look at her then. That wasn't one of her usual tops.

He shrugged his shoulders. But didn't really comment further. Hibiki shook her head. Throwing the covers off her legs. Sakumo walked over and offered her his hand. Slowly he helped her to stand. "So what happens now?" Her tone wary, and he doesn't blame her.

"Your trail date is set for the day after tomorrow." He tells her. There is a faint frown dancing at her lips.

"Why so soon?" Sakumo helps her over to one of the chairs so she can put her shoes on. He fixes her with a look when there back at eye level.

"You know why." She nods, because she does know why. Hibiki justed wished it wasn't the case.

"They just can't wait to hang me, can they?" He smirks at her callous and sarcastic comment. His look turns serious soon after. She pays half attention to the shift in his expression while pulling on her sandals.

"Hibiki." She looks up then, his tone too grim just to keep on avoiding. Hibiki nods her head. Sakumo continues with his train of thought. "Don't give them the chance."

"I won't sensei. I promise." He nods his head. There wasn't much he could do to help her now.

"It's not going to be a fair trial. They've already decided you're guilty." She sighs, shaking her head in agreement. "I know."

Sakumo squats down so that their on the same level, he places his hands on her shoulders. His expression dark. "You need to demand a trial by combat." She raised her brow at him. Hibiki wasn't aware that this was medieval time. The coder hadn't thought that would be a thing here.

"Excuse me?" He shakes his head. Sakumo can tell by her tone she doesn't think he's being serious.

"You won't get a fair trial any other way. While not a common practice, it is something that can be asked for during a clan held judgement. The Hokage will grant you this. Hibiki, if you ever want to freely be able to see Obito again, to not have to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder in fear of what the Uchiha clan might make you do next then this is your only option." She gaps at him like a fish out of water. Hibiki can't remember a time when Sakumo had spoken so many words at one time. He was almost just as bad as her.

She places a hand on top of one of his, she gives a small uncertain nod of her head. "Alright, I promise." He gives a relieved sigh slowly standing from his position.

"Good. Now let me get you home." Hibiki smiles faintly and nods. Home sounded really nice right about now.

 **XOXOX**

 **I will elaborate more on the Uchiha thing in the next chapter. That I promise. For now this is what I leave you with. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Also please forgive any grammatic mistakes in the chapter. So far it hasn't been proof read and I'm heading into work and I wanted to post it before I went.**

 **Thank you so much for reading. Happy New Year!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	19. Chapter 19

" _If you love deeply, you're going to get hurt badly. But it's still worth it."_ **~C.S. Lewis**

 **.19**

Mikoto ran a hand through her long hair, a sigh fell from her lips. Somehow in the span of a few days everything had changed. The Uchiha matron was worried. There was just too much uncertainty in the air right now, too many things left unsaid. She leaned against the kitchen counter trying to clear her mind to tame her worries.

She took a deep breath. Pushing herself off the counter as the call of 'Tadaima' from Fugaku returning home reached her. It was her duty as his wife to be there for him right now, especially with everything that had happened. Mikoto plucked the toddler out of his high chair heading into the direction of the front room to welcome home her husband.

"Okaeri." Fugaku looked up just at the right moment to see her smiling face, he pushes his shoes neatly against the wall. He'd give anything to be able to return the kind look given but at the moment he couldn't even be bothered to fake it.

Hibiki had made her choice. One he had suspected her too, but oh how he wished she hadn't. He wished she'd made any other choice than that one. It was too late now. There was nothing more to be done. Nothing more he could do. Everything would be left in the hands of the kami.

The expression on Mikoto's face changed, she frowned slightly her eyes suddenly alert. "What's wrong?" Fugaku mustard a smirk. For no other reason that his wife's acute perception.

He shook his head. This was unfortunately something he could not share with her. Mikoto was biased when it came to Hibiki, even now she couldn't see this the way the clan did. She wouldn't. Hibiki was their friend, someone they both cared for.

She sighed at him, nodding her head in return. "I see. Dinner will be ready in an hour." Mikoto turned on her heel and walked away taking Itachi back with her. Fugaku took a deep breath before heading to his office. There was work to be done. He had to prepare himself.

He really did not want to do this.

..

This wasn't how she ever imagined this would go down. When she'd made the decision to hide her sharingan and her biological connection to the Uchiha clan, Hibiki hadn't pictured this. To be honest, she'd never really given much consideration to the consequences of her actions here. Sure she'd thought about it once or twice, but never really sat down and given too long of thought on the matter. Looking back at it especially now, she really regretted that choice. Not the hiding and the secrecy, she'd stand by that decision until the day that she finally died. But Hibiki did wished she'd thought more about the consequences, it was leaves in the wind now.

She had never wanted this. Never pictured this. The hard early winter wind whipped around her face, biting at her cheeks, tousling the few untamed strands of hair around her face. Her hand tightened its grip around the electric conducting staff. When Sakumo told her demand a trial by combat, she didn't even want to imagine who exactly the Uchiha would pick at their champion. Even now, staring at him dead in the face, taking in the serious but conflicted look and harsh set eyes of his expression she didn't want to believe it.

Hibiki could have mentally handled fighting anyone else for her right to live how she pleased. Any of the numerous Uchiha Jonin, anyone else and she wouldn't have even batted an eye. But it just had to be him. She should have known better. Of course it would be him, of course he'd be the one. He probably hadn't even allowed there to be another option. It was just so like him. A testament of his arrogance.

"You still have the option to withdraw." His voice is shallow, and stiff. Something in her thinks he wants to do this about as much as she does. She closes her eyes for a moment, Itoka's words of warning ringing back at her. Her eyes weren't completely healed, she couldn't use her sharingan here. Sakumo's fear from the days before proving itself true.

It was never going to be a fair fight.

"I really don't." Her eyes open. Hibiki extends the staff in her hands holding it away from her body, letting the lighting begin to crackle on its surface. She was going to have to give everything she could. Fugaku was her friend, she never wanted to have to fight him like this. Not like this.

The Uchiha head sighed, he too drew his weapon. He gave a nod to the referee for the trial and the Hyuga proctor gave the order to start. Hibiki vanished from her spot the next second, appearing behind him.

Her staff swung at him with a loud hum, Fugaku dodged jumping away from her. He threw three shuriken her way. Hibiki countered them with three crackling senbon, her expression stony. She didn't want this. Their eyes met.

The feeling of mutual. But it didn't matter. It couldn't matter, not now. Because even though neither wanted this it didn't change anything. Hibiki didn't want to think about it.

She couldn't think about it. There was a giant fire ball rushing at her. Being burned wasn't on her current agenda. Her feet and a hand skid across the dirt as she jumped out of the way, she held the staff behind her. It been a long time since she had to fight like this.

Usually she was fighting for her life, fighting to stay alive, causing whatever damage to survive. She couldn't do that here. Hibiki wasn't about to do that, she couldn't risk her friend like that. Even though there was so much at stake, so much to loss. It just wasn't something she could do. At the end of the day, no matter the circumstances, she still cared about him.

Fugaku was still her friend. He was still Mikoto's husband, someone who she grew up with. They were on her list. Of people who'd she'd go to the ends of the earth for, those she'd die for. It wasn't fair.

Kami she really couldn't do this.

The staff stopped crackling, she lowered her weapon. Panting. Trying not to break, not to give up. But it was so hard. She never wanted this. This wasn't what she wanted, she couldn't do this. Hibiki took a deep breath, to calm her nerves and to remind herself that she didn't have a choice. No matter how she felt she had to keep fighting, she had to win.

Hibiki couldn't protect Obito, she couldn't keep meddling if her every move was going to be scrutinized. There was only one option left. She had to end this quickly. Now was not the time to play games.

She tightened her grip on the staff, it sparked back to life just as quickly as electricity had faded. Fire under her feet and determination set in her eyes. Fugaku wasn't at all prepared for her next attack. He'd seen her stall after dodging seen the look in her eye when she did, he had given her moment hoping she'd give up, that they could put this all behind them and move on with what the clan expected of her now. He should have known better, he regretted ever giving her the chance.

The next moment he's flying through the air, the wind knocked from his lungs. He'd never seen anyone move so fast. Not like that, it shouldn't have been possible even for a shinobi. It was like watching lighting strike, sounded like it too. Followed by the loud cracking noise of him crashing into a tree.

Hibiki spun the staff in her hand. Taking careful steps forwards, walking towards Fugaku as he struggled to get up. She'd hit him square in the stomach, sending him flying, he was lucky that she hadn't used the lightening coating her weapon as it was intended or he wouldn't be able to stand. "Do you concede?" She called out to him, hitting the staff to the ground sending the excess electricity into the ground beneath her feet. It crackled to life around them.

Fugaku pushed himself off of the ground. He hadn't expected that. In all his life he never expected her to be so powerful. Hibiki was always finding ways to surprise him it seemed. "Regrettably I cannot allow that." She nodded her head at him while sighing.

"I see, then I have to apologize in advance. I'm sorry Fugaku, but I cannot allow you to win." He dusted himself off standing to his full height, well then since it seemed she was finally going to take it seriously then should as well.

"Unfortunate, I was thinking the same thing." He could only grimace. Truth be told he didn't know how many of those powerful hits she could dish out or how many more he could withstand.

She was fast, faster than him, and she was clever. There was also the fact that she'd survived two separate life threatening injuries and still functioned to think about. He didn't know how much she could withstand and Fugaku really didn't want to break her. Just beat her. But he didn't know how. It had been too long since they'd spared he knew nothing about how she fought beside with the staff and apparent speed. This wasn't going to be easy.

Hibiki wasn't going to give him the time to come up with a game plan either. She was already tired of playing no need for him to think of a strategy to extend it either. So she did something that she knew he wouldn't be expecting and hurled the staff straight towards him like a spear. It imbedded in the ground next to him still conducting and she slammed her hands open palm into the ground.

The earth fractured, electric waves clashed beneath his feet. Lapping up against his toes getting dangerously close. It was the moment he was reminded of whose student she'd been. Sakumo was known for his mastery of lightening style jutsu and it seemed that she had too. She didn't need the conducting staff anymore.

He jumped up, out of the wisps of the electric current. Fugaku couldn't afford to be caught in a technique like that. There was no way to tell either when she was going to do something like that either. Hibiki wasn't using a signal hand sign, there was no warning.

She didn't know how long she'd be able to keep this up. Her chakra stores had never been that great and these were high level technique she kept using they were a huge drain. But she couldn't afford to be fighting Fugaku at close range, he was better at hand to hand than she was. Her reaction time would be slow too, without using her sharringan and with the fact that she was still healing from her fight with the ROOT ninja she didn't need anyone up in her personal bubble. It was a recipe for disaster.

Hibiki also didn't want to hurt him. Not really, and that was still playing a huge role in all of this. She took a breath and prepared herself, it was time to switch to defense. At least for a moment, she had to recover some of her chakra before her next attack.

Fugaku took the bait.

..

He couldn't watch this. It was making him sick. His nerves were starting to get the best of him. Sakumo turned his head to look at the sannin to his left. Jiriaya had been asked to spectate, along with Hyuga Hizashi, Nara Shikaku, an Uchiha council member, the Sandaime's former teammates, and the Hokage himself. It was a rather diverse crowd so the final judgement should be fair.

Because what Hibiki didn't know, about how trial by combats worked was that even if she won the fight she could still lose the trail. It all boiled down to how she fought and that all depended on what type of person she was. Did she go in there weapons blazing with the intent to win no matter what? Did she consider what type of battle it was going to be? How it would affect her? What it meant if she lost? Those were the things the judges were looking at.

Sakumo had known that. It's why he suggested it to her. Because it was the only chance for a fair trial she was going to get. Trial by combat to decide what type of person she was. It was a test of her character. Completely exposed, so no matter what lies the Uchiha elders were telling about her the judges would see the truth.

Sakumo wasn't there as a judge, unlike Jiriaya and all the others. He was too close and would be considered biased. His judgement on this matter wouldn't be trusted. So he tried to read the expression from his friend's face, to gauge what he might be thinking. But the sannin's expression was stony and hard to read. He was concealing his feelings well.

"She doesn't want to hurt him, the attacks she's using are powerful but there not meant to hurt. Just stun, and to keep him far away from her. Interesting." Jiriaya muttered, watching with slight intrigue. He could see it now, he could see it so very clearly.

He wasn't the only one either. From the corner of his eye he could see that the Nara clan head, the two elders and even the Uchiha councilman had come to the same conclusion.

Kano Hibiki cared too much.

It would be her undoing. So they wanted to believe

But Jiriaya knew something the others didn't. About just how clever she really was, oh so very clever, and if they truly thought for one second she'd allow herself to lose. That she was capable of far more than they'd given her credit for. Then they were in for a nasty surprise. He'd seen what lengths she was willing to go to protect those she cared about.

Jiriaya was certain that those same lengths applied to protecting herself. Sure Kano Hibiki cared too much. But it wasn't a weakness. Not by his standards. Caring wasn't a disadvantage. No, it was a strength. He couldn't wait to see how this all played out. Jiriaya knew one thing for certain. It was bound to be interesting.

..

Hibiki panted heavily gasping for breath, her hands caught on her knees trying to hold herself up. Fugaku stood in a similar position a few paces across from her. He looked better off than she did at the moment if she was being honest. But he hadn't been hurling taxing jutsu at her for fifteen minutes straight. So she really couldn't be blamed for being winded. Extensive chakra work like that was going to leave you a little winded.

Unless your name of Uzumaki Kushina or you just had bookoodles of chakra to spare. And since Hibiki had neither of those things, the back to back attacks left her gasping for a little air. For the most part they'd worked and done their job making it rather hard for Fugaku to land hits on her. He had for the record, but he just had to work for it. She's landed a few solid blows to him as well. So it sort of evened out.

All that to say, she didn't know how much longer she could last. Not without over exhorting herself and she had the feeling that Itoka would be displeased with her if she did any more damage to her still healing body. The medic had been extremely clear on the matter before hand, the only reason she'd even let her demand the trial this way was because Sakumo had explained to her there was no other way. Safe to say Itoka had not been pleased with either of them.

She needed to win, she had to win. But at what cost. Her body was already damaged. Fugaku had landed solid hits on her. There was only so much she could keep taking. Hibiki was running out of options. Her choices were already slim to begin with.

What was she going to do? What could she do? There was that one technique she could use, it would take everything out of her to pull off but she'd win. But it was dangerous and depending on how Fugaku reacted to it. Well it wouldn't end well.

Would winning really be worth it if it only hurt her more? If it caused her to mortally hurt Fugaku? Could she even live with herself if she did that? The answer of course was no. She couldn't. Hibiki needed to win, but she couldn't. Not like that. It just wasn't who she was.

So where did that leave her? What was she going to do?

Unfortunately a flash of weapon hurtling towards Fugaku, out of his own line of sight catches her attention. He wouldn't have time to dodge, he didn't even see it coming. It was soaring right at him. Hibiki acts without thinking, just on instinct and the unfortunate desire to not see her friend hurt.

She pushed the last remnants of chakra she can spare into a shunshin, appearing with her back to his. However fast she could transport still isn't enough time to effective block the kunai. Just as he turns to look back at her, as he reacts to the shift of air around him the sound of Hibiki gasping in pain echoes in the quiet clearing. Fugaku's eyes widen his body turning fully around then, in just enough time to see a kunai embedded deep within her collarbone.

Hibiki looks pissed, her blue eyes remind him of the raging oceans at the point. She draws a hand up pulls the kunai from her flesh and throws it to the ground, her now blood coated hands slammed down onto the dirt. "Summoning jutsu." There is a furry in her tone, one he's never heard from Hibiki.

It is extremely clear to him, that their fight is now over. Someone had just tried to kill him and she stopped it.

The male and female lion due are next to her in an instant. Kien and Korra look up at their master for a moment. She breathing hard, sweating profusely, but the unknown enemy is still close waiting to see what happens. "Bring me there head." Hibiki mutters dangerously, the lions share a look before nodding and darting off in the direction she pointed them in.

No sooner has the order left her lips, Hibiki falls forward. Her body feels to be on fire. Fugaku catches her easily, a medic and two anbu land beside them. The anbu give them both a glance over picking up the discarded weapon and heading after the lions, the medic attends to Hibiki's wound chastising the girl's recklessness the entire time.

Fugaku backs away, his mind spinning. It is not lost on him. He knows very well what has just happened. The Third Hokage and the small ensemble of judges have reached them at this point. There is something in the Sandaime's eyes, something the Uchiha head has a hard time reading, but he can't shake the feeling that the Third knew that something like this was going to happen. His suspicion is confirmed a moment later when he realizes.

"The attack wasn't meant for me." Hiruzen blinks at the young clan head, and gives a small sigh. This generation was perhaps too smart for its own good. He shakes his head.

"You are probably right." Fugaku loses his grip on protocol and formalities for a moment because all he can do is stare at the back of the Sandaime's head in disbelief. He'd been played, or at least that's what it felt like at that time, they both had been.

The lions returned during that time, strutting over to their master, blood covering both their muzzles. They were followed by one of the anbu agents that had been sent to follow after them. Kien dropped down to his master's side first nudging his large head against her thigh. Korra sat behind Hibiki who had moved from laying down to sitting up, the lioness leaned her just a heavy head on the human's shoulder.

"The lions apprehended the assailant, they were wearing a blank mask. Crane has escorted him too headquarters for further investigation." Hiruzen nods his head at the report before dismissing the agent, who tries to protest something about his safety but is still sent away. The third looks down at teen, her eyes are hard set and she's rather focused on ignoring everyone around her.

"You knew they'd come after me, that if I was exposed, weak that the remaining ROOT operative would take the bait and come out of the shadows." Hibiki whispers, she looks up at him then. There is a sad look in his eyes and he gives a small nod of confirmation to her statement. She bites her lips pushing herself off the ground, ignoring the pitiful noise both lions give her in protest.

Hibiki spins on her heal, to face him. He watches her carefully waiting. Those among their group who had seemed to have already figured out the hidden motivation or to have known from the beginning hold their breath. The tension thick. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and counts. A few seconds pass and she reopens her eyes, they narrow the warning is clear. Never again.

Hibiki stalks away, Kien and Korra hot on her heels. She ends up facing Fugaku and offers out a hand her half of the seal of reconciliation already formed. He nods his head at her, and then offers his own hand. The winner decided.

The trial was over.

It wasn't fair from the start. Not when they both were being played.

 **XOXOX**

 **This chapter had literally taken me forever to write. I am so so sorry about that and to have kept you all waiting. Please forgive me. I hope this clears the air and makes some sense. Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **First draft, not edited. I apologize.**

 **Sincerely, LaRae**


	20. Chapter 20

" _You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along."_ **~Eleanor Roosevelt**

 **.20**

After everything that had happened. Hibiki really needed a break. It had been such a long and hazardous battle getting to this point that the teen thought she deserved a day off. Unfortunately that wasn't going to happen any time soon it would seem. The days following the match with Fugaku passed slowly, they were filled with a great amount of bureaucratic bullshit and never ending amounts of paperwork for her to swim through. She needs a moment.

In all of the commotion, her second near death experience, fighting for her right to be, and everything that came as a result she'd almost forgotten. Almost because Hibki had promised herself she'd never forget about the Ame trio again. She managed to get away from T&I a grand total of an hour to say goodbye to Nagato and Jiriaya as they both headed out of the village. While she wasn't a hundred percent on how she felt about the older man, Hibiki genially liked the Uzumaki and wanted to wish him well.

"I feel like I owe you an apology Nagato." She told him as they walked to the gate. In all the drama he'd sort of been pushed off onto Minato and then subsequently Kushina. A meeting she really wished to have been witnessed too. But the second hand story from Minato had been almost as good.

Kushina was excited to have found another member of her clan. Nagato had been claimed as part of the family. Which worked in her favor since she'd already decided to include them in her bubble.

"You don't have to apologize Hibiki-san, although warning next time would be much obliged." He told her in good spirits. A sincere look in his eyes. Hibiki tried not to look directly into the rennigan, it was slightly unsettling. Instead she turned her attention over to the sannin he was smirking at her.

"You will make sure he gets home safe, yes?" It's not really a question, and they both know it. Jiriaya nods his head in lue of a verbal answer. Hibiki nods her head in sastisfaction and then turns her attention back to the red head.

"Please extend my thanks for your kindness to Yahiko-dono and Konan for me, and please be careful. I'd hate to upset Itoka-sensei because one of you did something stupid and I have to come to Ame before completely healed." It's said with a light tone and a mirthful twinkle in her eye, but Nagato knows she is a hundred percent serious.

"We will try, you as well. Don't do anything too strenuous before you are better." And then to his surprise she reaches for him and pulls him into a hug. When she lets him go she offers him another kind smile and wishes them luck in their journey.

The hour was up. Hibiki had work to do.

She might have won the fight, but there was still a mountain of legalities she had to go through. To ensure they wouldn't try anything at a later time. There were things that she had to do to ensure her freedom, and the freedom of any of her future children. Hibiki didn't want to owe them anything. The Uchiha clan could kiss her ass.

Hibiki hadn't been raised by them, she didn't have a blind loyalty for them. But she also knew innately what they were capable of. Of the things they could do. The Uchiha could set the village on fire and watch it burn if they weren't satisfied with it. It had almost happened in another life. She wasn't about to give them the chance to do something similar to herself. Kano Hibiki wasn't one to be controlled.

Not now, not ever.

Especially when the last head of the clan had ordered her father's, and then later her mother's death. Sakumo had tried to hide these facts from her. But Hibiki always got what she wanted when it came to procuring information. She was very good at her job. So while miffed that he tried to hide these facts from her, she did understand. He thought he was protecting her, that if she didn't know the truth it wouldn't hurt as much.

It was just too bad, that the world didn't work like that. Her mother's death had been the catalyst that set her on this path originally. The cause for the awakening of her sharringan. She wasn't just going to forget that. Hibiki wasn't going to let the Uchiha forget it either. Not while she still didn't have all the answers. They'd orchestrated their deaths, but why?

Hibiki didn't understand why the last clan head would have her parents murdered. It didn't make sense. What did killing them gain? How had it been a profitable decision? Kano Moriko was one of the best combat medics in the village, she'd saved countless lives during the second war. Uchiha Yukio was a code master, there wasn't a code he couldn't break. They were loyal, everything they did had been for the village. So why?

Her head hurt just thinking about it now.

These unknown variables were why she didn't trust the Uchiha clan, why she had no desire to play a part. Hibiki hated dealing with unknown variables. She didn't trust the things she couldn't understand. So she didn't trust the Uchiha's motives. More than likely she never would.

"Are you okay?" Inoichi's face is level with hers, he'd been helping her go through the stack of legalities on her desk. She must have spaced out. That seemed to be happening more often.

"Yeah, just lost in a thought." She murmurs, closing her eyes briefly trying to push the swell of uncertainty to the back of her mind. No use trying to deal with them now. It would only succeed in doubling her headache further.

Inoichi raises a brow in her direction. "Care to share?" He prods at her. Hibiki shakes her head, frowning slightly.

"Sorry Ino, not this time. This is something I need to figure out on my own." He sighs, setting down his pen. Inoichi folds his arms over his chest and leans back into the chair.

"I see. Well why don't we take a break? Change pace, it might be a good idea for you to review some mission prospects for the front. They miss your intellect on the front it would seem." Hibiki snorted at the thought. She mostly stepped on toes the one time she'd been on the front. But her time as a war prisoner had been the result of someone thinking they were smarter than her.

"You're probably right. Can you get me the files on where everyone has been stationed as well? I know some of the others have been given their orders for rotation recently. I want to know what they're about to be dealing with." The war with Iwa was still raging, and within the last few months Kumo had gotten on board as well. Hibiki wasn't at all pleased by that development.

She needed to find a way to end it soon. Or else she didn't know if she'd be able to prevent the Kannabi mission from happening, or any other eventuality of war from taking place. The longer the war went on, especially now with all the changes she made, there was no telling what could happen. Hibiki hated the unknown.

Inoichi seeing the look in her eyes shakes his head. She was going to run herself ragged trying to control everything. "How about lunch first?" He suggest lightly. Knowing full well that once she started, it would be exceedingly hard to get her to stop. The level of care she gave when dealing with any of the information with the war was greater than most could give for more than an hour at a time.

"Why not." She slid off her desk, landing softly on the floor. Inoichi let her take the lead. They both knew whose turn it was to buy lunch.

…

Obito is curled into her side, his head half in her lap. She runs her fingers absently through his hair. They still hadn't told him everything, if she's being honest than she probably never will. Some of the details, some of the facts, they were just too hard to swallow. Her parent's death, had been closely related to his own.

Before Moriko had died, she'd made Hibiki promise to watch over any child born to her aunt. Hibiki had lived by the promise for so long. Obito was hers to take care of, hers to look out for and to protect. He was her little brother and she'd be damned if this mess with the Uchiha clan cost him to her. She had absolutely no intentions of ever allowing that to happen. For kami's sake there was already enough on her plate from trying to prevent the disaster mission that caused his death in one life.

The whole thing was starting to give her a headache. With no real way to know if she'd managed to advert the Kananbi mission, it was a constant uphill battle. Already her presence had caused major plot holes and damages. At this rate she'd be surprised if anything went the way it originally had. Hibiki took a deep breath trying to not to think about it. Only ever so slightly missing the simplicities of her last life.

"He's getting to big to fall asleep on you Hibi-chan." She looks up, a tad startled by Atsuko's sudden appearance. Hibiki thought her grandmother wouldn't be back until later. It seemed to be she finished her errands earlier.

"I don't mind, besides the couch isn't big enough for how we use to nap." The old woman smirk at that. A true statement. Obito was a growing boy, and while Hibiki had reached her not all that impressive full height the manner in which the two kids would sprawl out of the furniture would not work now.

"You spoil him." Atsuko points out, while taking a seat in her chair watching the two. Hibiki just smiles blissfully.

"Of course, I am his older sister." Atsuko merely chuckles at that explanation. The two don't try much at conversation, simply content to sit in the quiet and enjoy each other's presence.

…

There are days when Hibiki has to remind herself that at one point there had in fact been a plot. There had been structure, and sense. Then there are days where she remembers that zombies had been a literal thing in the later part of the story and that a sixteen year old fought a goddess. And then there are the days like today, when she has to face to music and try to figure out how exactly something had previously worked in the story because honestly some of it just hadn't made any good sense.

But she'd never even considered this. This scenario had never really been run through in her head. Mainly because she sort of forgotten about the two jump promotion from a little over a year ago she'd received. And what exactly that was going to mean in terms of the future.

The summons comes early in the morning, before she'd even left for the office after Inoichi had sent her home last night. She stares blankly at the poor chunin tasked to come get her this early. Hiruzen was a smart man, he knew that if wanted to catch her before she went into T&I it would have to be early. Hibiki started work before the sun rose and ended usually after it set every day she could. So she did feel for what appeared to be a Nara chunin at the early hour of the morning.

"Your presence had been requested by the Sandaime." The young chunin states, a lazy draw to their voice and then disappears in a puff of smoke. Not how she planned her day to start but there isn't anything she can do about that now. Hibiki closes her apartment door behind her and starts her way to the tower.

Hiruzen is sitting in his desk chair, pipe in his mouth looking down at the academy placements before him. He'd gotten the okay from all of the selected Jonin instructors saying they were prepared to step into a teaching role and thus, all except for one. Hibiki had been up for jonin instructor consideration last round of graduates or would have been if she wasn't still recovering from her injuries while on the front. Now he didn't have any choice to wait on the matter, and the dark headed teen was mostly healed from the report he read earlier. All he needed now was her approval.

He had no doubt she'd say yes. But he had this feeling that when he told her who had been picked to be on her team she have one if not a few protest. Their age, all of them he wanted to place in her care, prodigies yes, but in her eyes she'd still consider them to young. The thought on hold, a shift in the air, he looks up light blue eyes meet his gaze.

"You have requested me Lord Third?" She gives a short bow in show of respect before speaking and he nods.

"I did. There is much to discuss." It's the first time they spoken since that day on the field, and he knows that she had not been pleased with him. But what done was done. There was no time to be dwelling on those matters. The Third liked to think he knew her well, and if he was right then she'd already put them behind her.

She gives another nod of her head. Keeping quiet allowing him to continue. "As you are aware there is a class graduating soon. It is time for you to pass on what you have learned." He does give her credit here, because he was certain she'd have a more expressive reaction. Instead all she does is close her eyes briefly, take a deep breath and then let it out sighing.

"As you wish Hokage-sama." Hibiki doesn't protest, not yet at least, and hold out her hand for the file on who had been selected for her team. If they all pass. Which he was certain they would.

Hiruzen hands it over easily. Giving her a moment to review the folder. Hibiki unlike her usual self makes no indication on how she feels about the matter. Except to bite her lip while reading the students profiles. The folder snaps shut between her fingers, her eyes go back to his face then taking in the kind grandfatherly look on his face.

Hibiki is no fool, she can see the beast waiting in his eyes. She knows what he is capable of. Knows to what lengths this version of the Third Hokage was willing to go. He'd given her the task to fix this war, he'd asked her for her soul and the naïve child she'd been back then had given it to him. Never again. He watches her closely, trying to read her like the book she'd once been. Too bad for him.

"I will accept this team on one condition." She finally decides, her eyes dead set. If he want her to teach them, then he'll have to play be her rules. It was only fair.

She had surprised him, but Hiruzen couldn't say that he wasn't pleased by her new persona. He raised a brow at her. "I wasn't aware this was something up for debate Hibiki-chan." There is a slight warning in his tone, an edge that she doesn't quite miss and it causes her to smile at him. It had always been up for debate, the truth was that he just hadn't realized she knew that.

"I will take on these three if you will allow me to hold them back for a year. Let them catch up physically with the rest of their opponents. While we have no idea when the war will end, children are not cannon folder and if you want my continued help in war efforts you will agree with me here." The threat slips off her lips easily. Hiruzen can see it in her eyes, that she is not joking, that these are fighting words and she'd ready to play ball.

The Sandaime smiles. She has become exactly who she was meant too. He was rather proud. "I will allow it." Hiruzen ignores her fighting words and threats, not because he doesn't take them seriously but because he does. He will not forget them, but he will also not make a big deal of them here.

She was no fool. If he knew she'd accept she'd be a great replacement for her. But the Sandaime knew better. The dark haired girl would never accept such a thing. Hibiki had no desire to be a leader like that, it just wasn't who she was. Her lips twitch, she gives him a genuine smile then, the first one since she'd entered the office. "Great, I'll go by the Academy to pick them up later." Then without a dismissal she disappears from the office completely.

He can't help but to chuckle. Yes, she'd passed his expectations with flying colors.

Anbu Operative Wolf melts out of the wall, leaving the genjustu he'd used to conceal himself. It wasn't often that he ran guard duty for the Hokage these days or even did anbu work. But he suspected the reason he'd been requested for this morning was because of the meeting he'd just witnessed. His favorite student really had a mouth on her. He supposed that almost dying twice had probably done that too her.

The Sandaime looks over at him. "You should be proud of her." Hiruzen tells the masked Hatake. Wolf shakes his head, trying to contain his own amusement. Hibiki was something else.

"I am."

When Inoichi told her she needed a change of pace… well this wasn't what she'd originally had in mind. She should have been appalled by her behavior in the Hokage's office. Hibiki wasn't usually so bold. But today was looking like it was just going to be one of those days. Oh well. It's what she gets for her lack of forethought on the matter. Just meant more work for her, and more people she was going to try and save from too early of a death.

It didn't appear like she was going to get that break anytime soon.

 **XOXOX**

 **Hey you guys, this chapter serves to be more of a fillerish chapter than anything else. A between the last and what is to come. With a bit of fluff, a bit of Hibiki being a savage beast, and so on. Also I told you we would be getting back to the murder of her parents thing, and look I'm giving the girl a team of her own. Who will hopefully make an appearance in the next part?**

 **I do offer my apologies on how long it has taken me to get this chapter too you all. I have been stupid busy with life. Moving to another state soon, job, graduation and a bunch of other stuff has been going on so yeah. Please do forgive me. As per usual I will try my best to do better about updating but I shan't make any promises.**

 **Please let me know what you think of this chapter! At the moment it is currently unedited. I will maybe go back and fix... maybe.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, please continue to let me know what you think!**

 **Much Love!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	21. Chapter 21

_"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes apart of us._ " ~ **Helen Keller**

 **.21**

She took a moment to curse every single god she could think of. This was all their faults, for bringing her back to life, putting her in this universe, for not letting her rest. Surely they must have known. What exactly this was going to do to her. Right? It couldn't have just been some glitch in the matrix, a crack in reality, there had to have been a known reason. So she cursed whichever god put her in this situation and then took a deep breath because she knew it wouldn't change anything now.

There isn't anything that she would have done differently provided it all happened again. That being said this was getting a tad ridiculous. It was almost as if the kami was placing these people in her path so she had to save them. That the echo of her existence included them. Why else? Why else would she have been given these three as students?

Hibiki closes her eyes, pinches the bridge of her nose and tries her very best to be patient with them. She has to remind herself that they are children no older than eight and that she is an adult. Their behavior should come as no surprise to her, she had just made them wait an extra hour for her. Although unlike her own sensei it had been accidental. Gaining a genin team didn't change the fact she still had a full time position at TI and if there was any pressing matters it would unfortunately come before them.

In all reality she should have expected them to act out. But why did their prank have to be water based? After her stint in Iwa Hibiki loathed being doused in water. She clears the dripping water from her face, runs a small current through her body to dry the rest of the affected limbs and then made eye contact with whom she assumed was the initiator of the prank.

"You're late!" There is a sense of déjà vu that crashes into her. A smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth. Hibiki places her hands on her hips, raises a brow at the boy.

"That doesn't explain why you felt the need to trap the door." A trap she could have avoided, if she'd really felt like it. But Hibiki had been in the mood to humor her new students.

That caused the boy to sputter. "Well what were we supposed to do?! We've been waiting for you for two hours!" She hadn't remembered him being like this in the manga, but then he had been older during his first appearance.

"Wait patiently like the good little genin you are supposed to be. As a genin you will be expected to wait longer, for orders, for information, for your mission objective, and even on each other. Well since I am in fact late, let's get straight to it. My name is Kano Hibiki. I will be your Jonin instructor for the foreseeable time being. Now introduce yourselves, state your name, and a little about yourself." Hibiki crosses her arms over her chest and waits.

The sole female of the team goes first, from what she'd read from their profiles the girl was the oldest at eight. "I am Noa Koari, my favorite color is purple, I wish to one day be a great medic." Hibiki gave the girl a small nod of approval and then turned her attention to the boy who had been silent the whole time. He flushed under her gaze.

"Uchiha Masato, um… I like to swim, and I want to one day be a respected member of the military police." Masato states, stuttering slightly. Hibiki offers him a reassuring smile. Even if she didn't like his goal to one day join the Uchiha police, she still had less than favorable things to say about them.

"Last but not least." She tilts her head to the side eyes once again making contact with the smallest of the three. His large onyx eyes stare back at her defiantly. Hibiki wonders where the respectful child she always thought he would be was.

"Uchiha Shisui, I want to protect my friends and to help make the village great." There it was, she actually smiled then. A lightness in her chest. To think that she'd already taken away half of the equation to his demise.

She clapped her hands together, the irritation she was feeling earlier now gone. "Great! Like I said, I am Kano Hibiki your jonin instructor. This team will start off as an intelligence based team, we will focus a good deal on gathering intel and running missives. I will also be teaching you the basic of code breaking and reading between the lines. Any questions?" Not a single one of them made a move. Hibiki sighed.

"Great. Tomorrow morning 0700 we will have our very first team meeting and perhaps even stop by the mission's desk to pick up a D-rank or two. Meet me at the Tactics office then. For now, you are all dismissed." Hibiki didn't wait for them to respond, she disappeared in a seal-less shunshin as soon as the words left her lips. Leaving the children alone and exceedingly confused.

Uchiha Shisui was quiet on his walk home. Masato and Kaori were talking to each other behind him discussing the dark haired woman who was now their teacher. But he couldn't find it in himself to interject himself in to their conversation. His mind kept going back to what his father had said that morning, he wasn't supposed to have heard it but he couldn't stop thinking about it now.

"Kano Hibiki is a plague, she'll be the ruin of this clan." The old man had stated angrily at whomever he'd been talking too. Shisui had stayed out of sight during the apparent argument his father was holding. He had not wanted to get caught up in it.

A plague. Why had his father referred to his new teacher in such a way? How had he even known her? Shisui didn't understand. His confusion over the situation caused him to act out of character. He'd managed to set up a bucket of water to soak her. Although looking back at it now, she had probably just let it happen. Weren't jonins supposed to be really strong?

He shook his head. It was probably better if he didn't think too long on it. Not like he could even ask his father what he meant by that, his old man would be upset if he found out that he'd been listening in. No, the best thing going forward was to just see how it went. Maybe he could figure out what his father had meant.

Her words from earlier hitting him now. Shisui groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Shi are you okay?" Kaori questioned from his right.

"She was right." He mumbled. Masato raised a brow in his friend's direction.

"What?" The older of the two Uchiha boys asked, but Shisui didn't answer the turn to his house came up and he mumbled a quick goodbye.

Masato and Kaori shared a look. Both thinking something similar. What was going on with him today?

Hibiki threw herself into the chair, slumped over her desk and let out a tired groan. She rubs her head trying to appease the forming headache to no avail. There was already so much on her plate, why had she agreed to this? Students had never been part of the plan, she didn't have time for the distraction they would cause.

"It was that bad huh." Inoichi is leaned against the opened door a smirk adorning his stupidly perfect face. She glared at him without hardly moving her head.

"I don't have time for students, I don't even make time for myself Ino. What was the Sandaime thinking? I can't do this." He raises his brow then. This was unlike her. Hibiki always had control over everything, she never complained. It was worrying at times. To see her like this. Meant she was worried. Meant she didn't know. That the situation was slipping out of her carefully controlled fingers.

"It's unlike you to admit defeat. What's going on?" He crosses the threshold of the door then, closing it softly behind him. She forces herself to sit up, leaning back into the uncomfortable office chair, and runs a hand through her scalp.

"How am I supposed to balance a team, my work here, and the little time I take for myself? There is a war going on, I can't cut back my work here to focus on them, and yet I can't ignore them I don't want to see them killed. What do I do?" Inoichi looked at her startled by the admittance. He took a moment to just really look at her then, the dark circles under blue-gray eyes deeper and darker than normal. She looked like a ghost, tired and sunken features.

"What time are you meeting them in the morning? I assume you haven't done your jonin test yet." He inquires instead of answering her question. Inoichi needed a moment to think over it.

"0700, in front of the Tactics building. I'm not planning on doing a jonin test, it isn't a requirement and I have to pass them anyway." She tells him, reaching for the cup of coffee she'd been ignoring. The drink was still mildly warm so it would be drinkable.

"Wait, what? Why?" He raises his brow. While he knew the jonin sensei test wasn't something that was required of Jonins to do most of them did it regardless. But he'd never heard of a team that couldn't be failed. That just wasn't something done.

"Two of my students are Uchihas, and the other is from the Noa clan. One of the small sister clans to the Uchiha. I have to take this team, it was a request from Fugaku himself. A show of good faith on the Uchiha's part to me. That in light of the trial they are still willing to work with, and even trust me to help train members of the clan." A smart political trap, saying even though you won we can still dictate aspects of your life. It was a small price to pay for all the other freedoms she had.

Inoichi took a deep breath. Because that hadn't been what he had expected her to say, and damn the Uchiha were proving themselves to be sneaky bastards. He also suspected that there was a bit more to it than she was telling him. Something to do with the old case files on her parents death and why exactly she wasn't speaking to Sakumo currently.

"That's…" He trailed off not entirely sure to how he was supposed to respond. That was just a lot to take in.

"Alright, you know what you need. A break. Let's go out." Hibiki stops sipping at the coffee he knows is lukewarm and raises a singular brow at him.

"What?" Inoichi tries not to laugh at her baffled tone.

"You need a break, probably a strong drink too."

"Inoichi we have work to do, we can't just skip out." She tries to protest. But he's resilient and just shakes his head at her.

"Everyone in this office takes personal days. Everyone but you. Take a night off, just take a break. Out of everyone here you deserve it."

And there wasn't anything she found say to him to get him to change his mind. Once Inoichi decided on something he got what he wanted. Stubborn bastard.

Which brought them to now, a shinobi inclusive bar a few blocks over from the office. Inoichi has been kind enough to let her finish a few things before sending her home to change. She wasn't sure what he expected her to change into since all she did was work, but it was to much trouble to protest. He wasn't going to let her win.

So there they were, taking shots at the bar with Minato and Kushina. Shikaku was there too but he was further down the bar talking to some dark haired chunin. So they'd decided to leave him alone. Especially since the woman looked vaguely like the picture she remembered seeing if his wife. Hibiki for the life of her couldn't really member her name.

"Five ryo says he takes her home." She smirked at Inoichi, idiot.

"I wouldn't doubt it. Suckers bet." He just shakes his head at her comment. Minato looks over at the two of them then pulling himself out of the conversations he'd been having with his fiancé and the jonin next to them.

"You know the same could be said about the two of you." He says it so nonchalantly, like it's just an offhand comment that it shouldn't have made her react like that. But she chokes on the shot she'd just taken and the look in Minato's eyes told her he'd expected that sort of reaction.

She doesn't see the dirty look Inoichi gives his fellow blonde. To add the the matter. Hibiki sputters. "What?!" Like she couldn't believe the audacity of his statement. Or the gal he had to look so damn smug about it.

Hibiki couldn't deny the fact that she did have feelings for her old teammate. Feelings that weren't professional and could make him a liability for her. But there was no way he felt the same way. Right? They were just friends.

Minato sighs rolling his eyes at them both. Kushina turns to join their conversation then as she had heard his first comment and decided to see where this was going to go. Those two had been dancing around each other for a decade and honestly she was getting tired of watching them. If the rumors she'd heard about Inoichi's clan pushing him to find a wife were anything to go off of too. He needed to own up to his feelings soon before he got paired with someone he didn't like.

Inoichi glares at both of their smug faces, he can't believe them. Hibiki swivels around on the bar stool eyes meeting his and demanding answers. He just sighs. Fuck it. Now was a good of time as any.

"Let's go for a walk." He suggest. She just nods her head slowly as if she's still in some sort of daze. Inoichi flips Minato off behind her back as they walk away from the bar. Leaving there tab for him to pick up since he decided to pull such a dirty trick.

The future yondaime just snickers at their retreating forms. About damn time.

Inoichi in that moment really is struggling between wanting to punch Minato or thank him. He eyes Hibiki who is standing to his left. They've ended up at the banks of the river close to the memorial garden. There was something about this place, that she always drifted to when uncertain. She clasps her hands behind her back, eyes staring out over the moon reflective river, Hibiki looks contemplative. As she takes in everything they've just talked about.

The cat was out of the bag now. All of his feelings were on the table, now it was up to her. Hibiki finally turned to look at him. A sort of awed clarity in her pale blue eyes. She actually smiles at him then, and her reaction is sort of surprising. While he'd been a little over half sure she felt similarly about him you could never know with her. He gives her a moment longer then he has to say something, knowing that she would need a moment more to process and find the words to say.

Except she doesn't speak. Perhaps in light of recent events, or the previous shots she feels bold. She closes the gap between them, wraps her arms around his neck with one hand settled on the back of his head. Her lips crash into his, surprising him completely. It takes a moment to adjust before he kisses her back. He ecases her with his arms, one around the small of her back and the other going around the top, his hand lacing through her curls. Inoichi deepens the kiss. Pulling her as close to him as possible.

When they both pull away it's mutual understanding with a need to breathe. Hibiki's face is slightly flushed, she smiles at him. "Is that a clear enough answer?" She questions cheekily. Inoichi smirks at her reaching for her again.

"Perhaps, maybe just one more kiss. To be absolutely sure we're on the same page about this." She takes in his smug look and teasing tone. A sly smile works its way across her features.

Hibiki runs a hand over his cheek, he leans into her touch. She leans up, lips brushing softly against the slightly swollen flesh and kisses him again. This time it's different, where the first kiss had been hungry, passionate, this was more delicate, assuring. His hand cups her jaw, thumb brushes faintly against her cheek. Inoichi appreciate the sincerity of the moment.

This moment had been long overdue for quite awhile. The Yamanaka clan head was glad he waited.

 **XOXOX**

 **So I'm half happy with this chapter and the end revelation. I'm ninety percent certain that this is the best possible way to write the admittance of feelings between these two. Since the build up has been little by little since chapter five-ish. It's just how these two are together. I will admit that this is a mostly filler chapter, while each little part important to the coming arc not a whole lot of plot points to harp on here. I do hope that you enjoyed it nonetheless. Thank you for reading the chapter. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	22. Chapter 22

" _Good men don't need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many."_ ~ **The 11th Doctor, Doctor Who, A Good Man Goes to War**

 **.22**

The rest of her group would accuse her of being a tactical mastermind, but in all honesty she wasn't. Hibiki wasn't really as smart as they liked to accuse her of being, not naturally, not like Minato or Shikaku. She knew that there was a lot of cheating involved, she'd always be one step ahead for the sheer fact she knew how this was supposed to go. Of course a lot had changed since she originally set this course, started this journey. Tactical mastermind might have been a compliment she didn't deserve but she would take it.

It gave her a good excuse, for later when and if her behind the scene works came into the light. Hibiki hoped that it wouldn't, prayed everything she'd done would just stay conveniently buried. But she wasn't counting on it. Especially now. With the scrutiny she was under. The Uchiha were keeping their watchful eyes on her. Just waiting for her to slip up.

She didn't plan to give them that satisfaction. Besides if they had wanted her out of the way, then they wouldn't have given her those children to be her students. This was an endgame they shouldn't be playing with her. No matter how much she loved Mikoto and Fugaku she would burn their kingdom down if the need ever arose.

Hibiki took a sip of the hot coffee in her hands, bringing the mug up slowly breathing in the aroma. Her eyes were cast out the offices window, waiting, watching for her team to arrive. She needed to make a choice. Needed to decide how this was going to go, and she needed to decide quickly.

Shisui would be a great infiltrator, he had all the qualities for one, he had been in the story she knew. But that wasn't what she wanted for him, not here, not now. Shimura was dead and with that the need for the boy to be a double agent was in her mind gone. That was the type of work that would kill you. Hibiki for the first time in a long while wasn't sure how to proceed.

"What are you thinking about so intently over there?" Inoichi is leaned against the door to her office, arms crossed and smirking. She raises a brow at him, it was far to early for him to be here. Still to early for most people. Daylight had barely crested the sky only moments ago. Since he was here might as well take advantage of his presence.

"I want to make one of my students an arbiter." She tells him, point blank. He gives her a curious look, eyes widening and then narrowing at her. Trying to figure out what that meant.

"Like you?" He questions slowly coming all the way into the office and shutting the door behind him. Hibiki appreciates the gesture, to allow this conversation some confidentially but they both know that the door could be open and they could be having a heated argument and no one would hear. Her office was just covered in all sorts of fun privacy seals.

"I'm currently the only one in the village, I have one of the highest clearance levels of the entire shinobi core. There is literally nothing I don't know about as it's happening unless it's ANBU related. What I do isn't a one person job, but I'm doing it and at some point I'm going to miss something." She tells him, voice solum. It was the truth. Truth they both knew. No she wasn't a tactical mastermind, not by a long shot. What Hibiki was, what she did deserved a much greater title.

Because what Inoichi doesn't know. What none of them knew. Is that she orchestrated an entire war, just to turn the tides in their favor on the off chance that those ripples would spare her brothers life. With everything that had happened to her in the last year because of this she was getting tired.

She needed help, she needed to train another person to see the way she did. To think in codes, and deal in riddles, to see every possible outcome before making a decision. That was something that had to be trained early on, it was the training her mother had started with her before she died. Her parents had been fixers, her father more so than her mother but he taught the medic how to see it. Whatever they'd uncovered, whatever it was that they fixed, had something to do with the Uchiha and it got them both killed.

So if she was going to teach someone, train someone how then they had to be young it would be easy to rewrite the way the brain processed things. To install a new code you first had to breakdown the original software. This wasn't something you could just pick up, it wasn't a skill to be acquired like riding a bike. It wasn't easy, it wasn't something she'd even suggest for most people.

While being an infiltrator was not an easy life, she wouldn't deny it having been trained by one. The work she did was so much worse. It was the type of work that made you wish you were dead. The type of work that takes, warying on your soul, eating away at your humanity. Because you had to see the worst of it, you had decide who was worth saving, what was worth doing. There was solidarity in it, you would never be able to be completely honest with another human being. Not about yourself, not about the toles what you did took.

Did she want that for the boy? She knew he could handle it, knew she could train him to be a great fixer. He could be better than her. Shisui had those charming qualities she didn't have, qualities that Minato possesed. Hibiki could make the boy great. But did she really want to do this to another person? Could she even stomach it?

"It won't be easy, if you decided to. With any of your new students. But I'm sure you have just one specific in mind and getting them to turn their back on the clan will be hard." Inoichi warns her, but he doesn't make any indication that he disagrees with her statement. He'd seen the results of what being a fixer meant first hand.

Hibiki nods her head, she doesn't have anything to say to that. He's not wrong. When you were an arbiter, when you were given the authority to fix things to settle matters discreetly. To start wars and kill politicians and everything thing that came with it, there were rules. Rules that you had to follow. That had to be obeyed.

Rule number one. You couldn't have familial ties that would influence your decisions politically. They couldn't be involved, you can't involve them. Their voice doesn't matter. Not anymore, their opinions. Worthless. When you were an arbiter, when you had the control that she did, when you weaved webs and lies, everything thing you did had to serve the greater purpose.

Hibiki's great purpose broke so many of the other rules. Perhaps it even broke that one. Because her purpose had always been to see Obito live a long life. It just so happened that by working towards that she helped the village. A lucky coincidence.

"Just because you have to pass them doesn't mean you still can't test them Hibiki. You might just find the answer you're looking for if you do." Inoichi speaks interrupting that train of thought. Her nails click against the surface of the mug in her hand, she takes another sip of the warm liquid.

Hibiki could feel it in her bones. Today was going to be a long one.

"Perhaps… Ino by the way why are you here so early?" She finally asks, there was no reason for him to be here. While having him as a sounding board was nice, and the distraction he caused from being around was fun. This just wasn't a usual for him.

He smirked at her. "You're here." Inoichi points out playfully, she just smiles into the mug.

"I'm working." Hibiki muses dryly and he shakes his head at her.

"You were staring out the window when I came in." She takes note of the amusement in his voice, the way the lines crinkle around his eyes as he talks, the slight smile on his lips. Like she'd said, Inoichi being around was something of a distraction for her.

"I was contemplating the options. This is an intelligence team but they'll need to specialize in something to better their future options. At some point the war will be over, and the need for covert teams won't be as high." Inoichi took a step closer placing a hand on her shoulder. It was just like her to start worrying over things that were far away.

"One thing at a time Hibiki. Day by day remember." She nods absentmindedly, switching the mug to her other hand before reaching up and placing a hand over his. Looking up at him.

"Day by day. I'll be done with my team by lunch, Kushina mentioned something about a new tea house that opened in the Hyuga district." He smiles down at her, taking in the deep hue of blue her eyes have taken on in the early morning light.

"Are you asking me on a date?" Hibiki swats his hand then, pushing it off her shoulder in response.

"If that's what you want to call it, I'm just asking my boyfriend to take me to a new teahouse since I have an apparent addiction to them." Inoichi laughs at her tone, Hibiki rolls her eyes at him. The new dynamic to their relationship really hadn't changed that much. She considered the only difference to be that they kissed now.

"Maybe I would consider since it would mean I'd get my girlfriend away from her office for more than fifteen minutes."

"But my work." There's a slight whine to her voice, she's not being serious. Inoichi just shakes his head.

"Can wait. I have to go, I have a meeting in an hour to get ready for. You need to figure out what you plan to do with them." He placed a light kiss to the top of her hair before taking his leave. Hibiki was once again alone in the confines of her office, left to her contemplation and scheming.

Maybe she should test them. It could prove to be entertaining at least.

 _x_

Shisui met up with his teammates on the way out of the compound early that morning. About twenty minutes or so before they were told to meet the woman in front of the tactics building. Masato looked like he'd just crawled out of the bed and Shisui thinks that his friend probably had. The oldest of their trio was passing them breakfast bars from the small utility pack she carried, it dueled as a partial medkit for them as well. "Okaasan was really surprised Kano-sensei didn't have us do a Jonin test." Kaori tells them while they walk in between bites of her own granola bar.

Huh. She was right. Their sensei hadn't even made a mention of another test the day before. Maybe she forgot. Masato shook his head at that as if he was clued into what the youngest was thinking.

"It's unlikely that Kano-sensei forgot, my otosan says that there isn't anything she does without purpose. He also sounded bitter about it. She's apparently some sort of super genius, also he said something about her being an Uchiha. Shi what did your father say about it?" Shisui stopped, a chill running up his spine at the question. His father's words about his teacher ringing in his ears.

She'll be the ruin of this clan.

"Shisui?" Kaori waved a hand in front of his face. He blinked to clear the memory away.

"Sorry, he didn't say much. Come on we need to pick up the pace or we'll be late." He raced off. Masato cursed at him as they both followed after. They couldn't talk anymore about how each others family felt about their new teacher.

When they arrived in front of the tactics building it was exactly seven on the dot and Kano Hibiki was nowhere to be seen. Well at least if she was there they couldn't see her. Shisui wouldn't put it past her, she was a jonin. Jonin could do all sorts of cool things.

It would be ten more minutes before she'd appear before them, they'd taken a seat on a close bench. She swirled into existence behind them clapping her hands together loudly. Effectively startling each them. They hadn't expected that."Good morning children." Her tone actually amused.

Kaori clutched at her heart trying to calm the racing in her chest. The jonin actually gave her a semi-apologetic smile. "You scared us sensei." She chirped in annoyance and Shisui wanted to groan at the older girl for pointing out the obvious.

"I can see that. We will need to work on your situational awareness. But first if the three of you will so kindly follow me." The dark curly haired woman says holding out her arm and gesturing for them to come along. They follow like obedient little ducks.

In the end she leads them to one of the smaller training fields close to the tower. It's low coverage with minimum trees and a small pond just in the center. They watch as she takes a seat on one of the conveniently placed logs.

Hibiki observes them as they take a seat around her. Her thoughts from early this morning coming back to her. Was this something she could do? The answer still wasn't certain. She sighs looking at each of their eger faces, hopeful and naive eyes. If she set any of them down a path that could get them killed those looks would haunt her. Could she do this?

She didn't have a choice.

"I am sure by now that you realize that I did not mention anything about a test. My test. You are all clan kids, so I know that you know about the Jonin sensei test so you don't have to try and say you don't know what I'm talking about." She begins drawing in a deep breath, making sure their eyes were on her. Then she continues.

"To be honest I hadn't intended to do one with you three." Shisui actually interrupts her here. She knows it's not intentinial so she lets him ask this question.

"Why? Isn't the Jonin test like a right of passage or something? Don't you have to test us to make sure we'll be a worthy team, worthy to serve our village?" But she really wished he hadn't just said it. Because it makes her want to train him to be an arbiter all the more. Worthy to serve.

"When most jonin pick their test its a teaching lesson. Sometimes the lesson is to follow the rules, sometimes it's to break them, other times if a team doesn't get along its . purpose is to teach teamwork. I'm not sure how much you three have heard about me, about what I do for the village and in time you will learn it for yourself but right now you should know that what I do requires me to already know how any of those things will work out." Hibiki stops here, to make sure they understand the power of her words. Because this will be the only time she admits it.

"I know that you will follow the rules, I know that each of you will also be willing to break them, you don't need a team building lesson you've each been friends your entire life. So none of those things need to be enforced. What you do need is not a simple test I can just give. So I won't waste any of our time by doing one." They gape at her, like floundering fish. Hibiki bites back a laugh.

"But! How can you possibly know that? You can't just assume to know us!" Shisui exclaimed, Hibiki had to wondered how he'd transitioned into the person he'd been in the manga. She still wasn't seeing it.

"Shi calm down." Kaori says placidly placing a hand on his shoulder. Masato gave the youngest a concerned look. This wasn't' like him.

"No, listen to her it's just bullshit! How can she know that? She's not a kami, we only met her yesterday. How can you just assume that about us! We are more than just picture on a piece of paper." He continues. Hibiki raises a brow at his outburst, smiling internally.

She'd made her decision.

"You are right. I am not a kami. But you have just proved to me that my assessments are true. It frustrates you that you are so easy to read, so easy to pick apart. It makes you uncomfortable." She stand here taking a step closer to the trio and the looks down at them.

"That's just the way it works. Now we have a busy couple hours planned, so don't waste my time." It utter cooly, in low dangerous tones. Reverberating with a threatening undertone. She needs to know what they'll do.

"No." Surprisingly it's not Shisui who speaks next, instead it's the boy sitting next to him. Hibiki narrows her eyes looking sideways at him she echoes his word as a question.

"No?"

"No, I can't just accept that. You can't just look at us and know how we'll react every single time. We're human, just because we do something once doesn't always mean we'll be inclined to do it again." Masato states his tone firm. He fully believed it. She thinks it's sad the level of maturity shown by this child. By all of them.

"Masa and Shi are right, everything is always subject to change. Misdirection and lies are too of the most common things in a shinobi. But you already know that Kano-sensei. This is your test, you want us to make sure we can see that." Smart girl. Hibiki offers her a smile, the previous malicious look washes off her face instantly.

"As a intelligence based team you will need to be able to point out when exactly someone is bullshitting you, when you are intentionally being pulled in another direction. And as my students you will need to be ready to make a choice to either let the misdirection take place or to stop it. Today you decided to stop it, tomorrow you might decide to believe me. You pass." Shisui glares daggers into her. He realizes something then, what exactly his father had been talking about. But he also knows that the entire time she'd been speaking, none of it had been lies. It was the look in her eye as she spoke. She'd known how this was going to go the entire time.

Kano Hibiki is a dangerous woman.

She clapped her hands together again to regain the attention as they pondered over what she'd just said. Over everything that had just transpired. They look up in anticipation for what she'll say next. Being her student was going to be interesting.

"Alright we have wasted enough time on this silly test. First thing is first, determining each of your chakra affinities. While I'm sure you probably know your main affinity this is to see if you could have a second. I have two and then I learned a third." Hibiki tells them as she hands out the chakra reactive paper to each of them.

She was pretty sure she had two fire doms and one water user. But it wasn't in their files and she needs to be sure. "The way this paper works is you let a little bit of your chakra pour into it. Based on how it reacts will tell me what affinity you lean towards." They all nod and listen to her instruction.

Que two charcoaled papers and one soggy one she had her answer. Now she hands them each other slip of paper, it's slightly different than the first. "This is a secondary nature detecting sealed paper. It works the same but it will determine if you have a secondary nature and what it is. Now again put a little bit of your chakra into the piece."

This was where she was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. All three of them had a second nature. Kaori was water and wind aligned, Masato was fire and earth, and Shisui echoed her own original natures fire and lightning. Hibiki was excited, because this, this would be the fun bit.

She smiled brightly at them all. "Great! Now that we know that we can head to the missions office and pick up our first official D-rank." This part on the other hand would be terribly boring. For her at least.

x

Hibiki slipped into the Hokage's office easily later that day. A file in her hand with her assessment of each of her students and a mapped out list of everything she intended to do for them. Hiruzen only raised his brow slightly at her appearance since he'd been expecting her.

"I give you permission to make the boy an arbiter. However do it discreetly, I'm not sure his father will approve." He warns her and all she can do is grin.

"Kaori will make a fine medic, I can train her in the basics but she'll need a proper teacher for that at some point. Masato wants to be military police but it will be a bad fit. He's better suited for tactical planning, as I explained in the file. I'd like for him to participate in regular matches with a Nara, preferably Shikaku since I know him." She tells him pointing out the in depth plan there. Hiruzen would give her this she knew what she was doing.

"Hibiki I will trust your judgement with them, they are your students now I know you won't let them down." Hibiki offers him a small smile in return, nodding her head.

"Thank you Sandaime for your trust, but I just want to make sure we are on the same page going forward. I'm not training them to be perfect soldiers. Because I am not a perfect soldier, nor will I ever be. I will be teaching them to break rules and follow instinct, to survive." His eyes crinkle slightly around the edges as he returns her smile.

"I am aware, it's why I allowed Fugaku this request. You are a protector Hibiki, you have always been a protector. So I know that what you teach them is not to be soldiers but to be protectors. The village needs more of those. I wish you the best of luck with them. Oh and congratulation." Hibiki raised her brow then, giving him a curious look.

"On what for sir?" She wonders. He just smirks, folding his hands under his chin watching her with a mirthful expression.

"I always did wonder exactly how long it would take for you and Inoichi-kun to get together." He watched in amusement as her face flushed bright red at that. Hibiki vanished a second later.

Hiruzen chuckled at the empty spot she once stood. At some point he'd need to talk to her about leaving before dismissed, but that had been funny.

 **XOXOX**

 **And I think that is a good place to end this chapter. What did you guys think? Hibiki is becoming an extremely manipulative person. She's always sort of been but I feel like it's going to be more apparent now. Especially as I progress with the current plot line. No Obito in this chapter but don't worry we will be seeing him soon. Kushina too, in more than just a five second mention. I'm totally missing the character she brings to Hibiki so she'll be back soon. Also everything is going to start happening fast soon, I'll start speeding the timeline up a little. Don't worry I'll try to keep you all on track with how old everyone is throughout the story.**

 **So please let me know what you think! As always thank you for taking your time to read and leave comments!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	23. Chapter 23

" _We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibilities for our future."_ _ **~George Bernard Shaw**_

 **.23**

With the war, her never ending job at TI, all of her responsibilities as the Konoha's only Arbiter and her genin team Hibiki didn't have days off. A fact that she had leveled with long ago and had accepted stone cold consequence of her meddling. So when the rare chance, when the stars had aligned and she didn't have any of those things all at the same time Hibiki liked to take that time for herself. Usually it meant spending the day with Atsuko and Obito or even Inoichi if the even rarer thing of them both being off at the same time happened. Because that had an almost zero and a hundred chance of happening. Keeping all of that in mind, walking around the market district with an over excited and bubbly Uzumaki had not been on her days agenda.

Not that she would complain, because Hibiki loved the red head and it felt like years since the last time the two just did anything together. She suspected that life would do that though. Kushina is going on about how adorable her godson is and the dark haired teen has to push back the melancholy she feels at the mention of the young Uchiha heir and his mother. One of the hardest parts of her ongoing cold war with the Uchiha clan had been the fallout of her relationship with Mikoto and Fugaku. Hibiki contrary to what the man thought didn't in fact hate either of them. Honestly she just missed them.

The pride of the Uchiha. It was a terrible hindrance, some would even say it was one of their many downfalls.

"Mikoto wanted me to wish you a happy birthday for her. Have you talked to her recently?" Kushina's tone takes a turn for the serious and it reals Hibiki back in to the present. She shakes her head taking a moment to examine a tangerine before responding.

This was a can of worms she really didn't want to open right now. Or you know ever. It felt to final, like that part of her life was just over. She didn't think they could ever be the friends they once were. There was just too much blood in the water for that.

"We haven't spoken since before my trial. Shina, Miko and I there's just too much." Too many words left unsaid. Hibiki doesn't say that part but she knows Kushina understands. She always had.

The red head huffs crossing her arms over her chest. "That's stupid Hibiki, it doesn't have to be this way. It shouldn't be this way." All Hibiki can do sigh. Because it wasn't as if she disagreed with Kushina. It wasn't as if she was wrong or that her words didn't make sense. They did, and because of that it made the situation all the more unfair.

"Everything has a price. My actions had consequences, these are just unfortunately them. Next time you see Miko give her my thanks." Kushina just shakes her head but Hibiki knows she'll pass along the message. Whatever she was going to say in response is promptly cut off by the yell of Hibiki's name from further down the road.

Hibiki turns quickly on her heal setting the fruit down and narrowing her eyes in the direction of what appears to be her students. What were they doing here? She distinctively remembers giving them the day off. A decision she was sure wouldn't earn her any points with the Uchiha elders but as always they could keep their opinions and kiss her ass. Masato, Kaori and Shisui all come to a skidding halt in front of her. Slightly sweaty and completely out of breath. They still needed to work on their stamina it seemed, but it made her wonder where they had come from.

"I gave you three the day off, why have you tracked me down?" Her brow raised, tone slightly cold, but Kushina can see the faint edge of an amused smile on her friends lip so she isn't fooled.

"It's Obito, we heard from one of the older clan kids that him and Takaro are heading to training ground 18 for a duel." Masato is the first to recover his breath and he spits all of that out sounding slightly panicked. Hibiki took a deep breath, that did not sound like the makes of something good at all. What had gotten into him?

"Why?" She questions impatiently turning back to look at Kushina, they seem to have a conversation with only looks before the red head nods. Her team fixates on them instead of answering the question and she turns back to look at them.

"Wasting time. Kaori tell me what you know." The girl recovers at the sound of her name and nods.

"From what was said and what we gathered Takaro said something insulting or threatening about you. It got back to Obito. He didn't take kindly to it." Hibiki grit her teeth, she could already see how this was about to play out.

Why did her brother have such a hero complex? She pinched the bridge of her nose trying to force herself to clear her head and to calm down. This wasn't going to end well.

"Just great, Kushina do you mind going to alert Fugaku. Kaori, Masato can you go tell Atsuko-sama about what you've heard. Shisui come with me." She waits for nods of confirmation from her genin, Kushina has already taken off.

All Hibiki could think in that moment is she has worked to damn hard to prevent Obito from dying on a mission to have another clan kid beat him to near death within the village's walls. This was not happening absolutely not on her watch.

Shisui doesn't think he's ever seen her look that livid. She'd been their teacher for almost four months and in that time she's never been anything other that cool and collected. It's actually rather terrifying. "Kano-sensei?" He questions carefully while they run across the rooftops. She looks down at him never stopping or slowing her place, briefly he sees her expression soften.

"There is nothing to worry about Shisui-kun, I will take care of this." She sounds sure and in that moment it's enough to set him at ease.

For however irate they though Hibiki was when she heard about the apparent duel taking place Fugaku was ever more livid. The man in question had been holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee in his hand as he had been going over police reports when Kushina fond him. That cup had shattered.

Duels were a common practice in clans between members when something said or done caused for strife. It was a good way to resolve the issue without dragging to many people into it and most of the time it didn't reach that point anyway. When two members wanted to duel to determine who was in the wrong they were meant to bring it to the clan's head in question so they could set an official match. Usually the clan head could just get the two parties to come to an agreement before the match took place. That is mind, duels were however not meant for thirteen year old boys to use as an excuse to fight one another because of a pissing match.

This was not something Fugaku condoned in the slightest. "I assume Hibiki already went after them." He asks/states while wiping the coffee from his shirt. Kushina nods.

"Yeah, I assume she probably sent one of her students to get Astuko-oba as well. She was under the impression that you would be joining her at the training ground." Fugaku breathes in through his nose and sighs. His annoyance was easy to pick out and Kushina had known him a long time.

"That would be an astute assumption on her part. Thank you for letting me know Kushina, excuse me." She offers him a small tight smile just as he vanishes in a puff of smoke.

Those two were about to be in a lot of trouble. Duels were not a joking matter, this was a serious offense. Because while Fugaku is sure that one of their intentions were pure he had his suspicions that this wasn't about to be a fair match. He knew a lot about both of those boys.

 _x_

Obito was seething. He just couldn't believe the audacity of this punk. How dare Takaro go and say those things about his sister. What an utter and complete prick. Why he ought to.. The boy festered in his rage all the way to the training ground, he couldn't wait to put his hands on the other kid. He would show him.

Nobody talked about his nee-san that way, especially not where he could hear it. Takaro wouldn't get away with it. Obito could handle the older boys bullying. However he wouldn't tolerate people talking shit about Hibiki. No sir, no way.

When he arrived at training ground eighteen the older boy was already there with his groupies. Obito squared his shoulders back. He wasn't going to let them intimidate him. Even if he should have been.

"Thought you chickened out Obito-teme." Obito had to refrain himself from lunging then and there instead he did something he picked up from watching his sister handle pricks like the one before him. He scowled at the teen, narrowing his dark eyes.

"And miss out the chance to kick your ass, you couldn't have gotten that lucky." He growled.

Takaro and his band of thugs just laughed. "That's a lot of talk coming from a sharingan-less orphan like you Obito-baka." Obito's glare just deepened, he reminded himself of what Hibiki had said about people like Takaro. His silence was deafening.

"Let's get this over with Takaro, you're wasting my time." He hissed. The older boy just grinned wickedly in response. There was something dark in his eyes. Obito watched as red spun out of black.

"With pleasure brat." He gagged internally at that. How untasteful.

Before he could react Takaro lunged instantly taking the upper hand and forcing Obito on the defensive. If he had been any other chunin this would have been a problem, but obviously Takaro didn't know to much about how Obito worked. This was a perfect place for him to be in. Especially since all of his matches with Kakashi he played defensive.

This was going to be a piece of cake.

 _X_

Hibiki came to the secluded clearing just outside of the Uchiha district mer moments before Fugaku. She arrived just in time to witness the middle of the pissing contest. Her fingers twitched at her side and she quickly reached for the compact staff she kept in her pack. Fugaku landed next to her as it unpacked itself to full length.

"Are you planning to break them up?" He wondered watching a current charge throughout the staff. She looked over her shoulder at him briefly, blue eyes clear and easy to read.

"I'm not planning on letting them continue this pointless fight. Are you going to stop me?" Hibiki questions, not because she thinks he will but because she knows he won't. This wasn't something that needed to be happening. Fugaku makes a gesture with his hand as if to say the floor is yours. She grinned at him. Nodding her thanks.

"Shisui-kun backup please." Her student does as told and takes a step back until he's even with the clan head. The man had seemed to determine a safe distance already.

She took a step twirling the staff in her hand, waiting. Her eyes watched the two boys carefully for just the right moment. There, when they had jumped far enough apart, that was her opening. Hibiki swung the staff over her head and slammed it into the ground forcefully sending the current into the earth. Lightning crackled in the ground spitting up chunks of rock and dust until it reached it's point and split the earth between the sparring teens.

Yeah, Shisui thought, his sensei was scary.

It was this moment that the two boys realized they had gained an audience and not the kind either of them wanted. Takaro cursed under his breath when he met eyes with the extremely disappointed and pissed expression of Fugaku. But he thinks that perhaps the scarier of the facial expression given belonged to the woman they'd been fighting about. Because while Fugaku looked angry, and the teen knew the man was, the woman looked eerily calm and that was more terrifying than anything.

She approached them slowly her eyes locked on both of them, step were calculated and purposeful. Everything about her screamed entitled confident. Takaro hated her. Seeing her here only made his blood boil more. It was all her fault. That woman was going to ruin their clan. His father never stopped going on about it.

"My my, what is happening here? Surely you two know that duels are required to be proctored and officilized with this is neither." She speaks, her voice grating on his ears as she comes to stand between them. He watches as Obito goes to speak, goes to try to defend them to explain, he blocks the explanation from his ears instead he focuses a heated glare at the side of her face.

"No matter the reason or how good your intention may have been Obito this is not the way to settle things. Next time come tell me, or Minato, hell when you have issue with fellow clan members you can always go to Fugaku with them. There are rules in place for situations like this." He hears her say to the boy before she turns those cold blue eyes on himself.

She observes him for a moment as if pondering something. "Your Mira's son aren't you? Your mother was a kind woman I'm sorry to hear of her loss." At those words something inside him just snaps, he lunges for the woman.

"You bitch, don't talk about her!" Except he never makes it, suddenly he's caught in a headlock by none other than the man he forgotten was there.

Fugaku narrows his eyes at the boys head. That was no way to act, especially not to a fellow leaf shinobi and a higher ranking one at that. He holds the boy tightly until he stops his struggling, never missing the dangerous look in Obito's eyes as he fidgets behind his sister ready to pounce. His eyes meet Hibiki's and she shakes her head taking a second before courching slightly so she level with the boys face. The clan head knows full well that he can't stop her from whatever she's about to say or do.

"Next time when someone offers you their condolences you accept them graciously. Attacking that person will get you nowhere especially when they outrank you. I'll forgive your outburst this time since I know the loss in fresh and still hurts. Don't let there be a next time Takaro-chibi." She stand, collapses her staff before putting it away and then gives him a deep look.

"I don't take any offense on this matter Fugaku-sama, and will forgive it. Please make sure it doesn't happen again." She levels with him, but there is a threat in her tone he doesn't miss and he has to suck in a breath from lashing out at her. This could have been avoided if she'd just accepted his first offer.

Hibiki had always been too stubborn for that. He nods, gritting his teeth. She smiles then but he knows it's not kind or meaningful. This was the smile of a lion right before they devoured you, he'd never wanted it to come to this. Fugaku found himself missing the days before he knew the truth. Life had been much simpler then.

"I assume you will be reprimanding young Obito on the matter." She shakes her head.

"Unfortunately no, as I am not a member of the clan it is not my place. Don't worry I'm sure Atsuko will once I take him home. Excuse us Fugaku, I'd rather not keep her waiting." Fugaku also almost felt sorry for the boy, because he knew the elder well and he knew the woman in question would not be thrilled in the slightest to learn of this. He waited long enough to watch her place a hand on Obito shoulder and direct him away from the training field. Only slightly concerned when she beckoned Shisui to follow her, his eyes narrowed slightly. What was she planning?

Instead of dwelling on it for to long he looked back down at the boy in his arms who had finally stopped struggling. He scoffed. "Come, I will take you home. There you can tell your father what you've done."

 _x_

Hibiki dropped Obito off with Atsuko who had managed to keep both of her genin there while they waited for them to returned and then told her three students to come with her. She guessed now was a good time as ever for a lesson. Shisui was unusually quiet the entire way to their typical meeting place, not that she blamed him. His specialized training had started about a month back and what she made him witnessed had been a lot to take in.

Once they settle around her like the good little ducks they were the questions start. "Kano-sensei what was that?"

"Why did Fugaku-sama get involved?"

"Is Obito in trouble? What about Takaro?"

She raises a hand silencing them, then she takes a deep breath. "A warning of things to come. The result of poisoned information and misunderstanding." There is a sense of poetic melancholy in her words and Shisui can't help but to see them for what they were. A half truth, and not at all the entire story.

"You aren't telling us everything." He calls her out and for a moment Shisui swears she smiles. Except it passes so fast that he can never be certain.

"When does she ever tell us anything Shi." Kaori sounds annoyed as she says this but then turns her attention the the dark haired woman and asks the question that's been bothering them all since the beginning.

"Why don't they like you?" To their surprise Hibiki actually laughs then. She gives them this look saying she finds amusement in the question before dignifying it with a response.

"I've been your teacher for four months, you tell me." Is all she says, and they just groan. Because of course she wasn't going to actually answer the question. She never really did. Hibiki gives them a moment to think of an answer.

To her surprise it's Masato who speaks first. He's not far off. "You make them nervous. Because the rules mean nothing to you, the clan means nothing. Kano-sensei doesn't care that's why they don't like her." Masato tells the others sounding so sure. Hibiki doesn't correct him either.

She didn't care about the clan. She never had. "People fear what they cannot control. Fear easily turns to hate. Hate spreads like wildfire and once started is hard to contain or put out." Hibiki tells them standing from her spot on the ground and dusting her hands against dark leggings.

"Go home, continue your day off in peace and think no more on this. Thank you for your help today, training in the morning as usual at the same time. See you tomorrow." Then just like that she was gone.

Que another groan from the three disgruntled genin. Why did she have to be so ambiguous? Eventually they would realize that was just how she was. How she was always going to be.

Having talked with her team, found and apologized to Kushina for the interruption and promised to get lunch with her later in the week Hibiki made haste towards home. There was a certain almost thirteen year old she needed to talk to and she wasn't going to wait any longer. Certain that by now Atsuko had talked him down, explained while nobel what he had done was wrong.

Now it was her turn. Because she knew that there were questions Obito would have that Atsuko wouldn't be able to answer. That she couldn't answers. His questions would be things that only she could answer. Hibiki prayed she could give him the explanation he wanted, she doubted he'd like them regardless.

She found him on the banks of the river that ran right behind the Uchiha district. Hibiki couldn't say she was surprised. They all had their places to run to. This had always just been Obito's. Her brother could be rather predictable at times.

Instead of announcing her presence she takes a seat next to his balled up form. She brushes a strand of fallen hair behind his ear. He needed a haircut. It takes time, several long moments of silence pass between them before he leans into her side. Hibiki wraps an arm around his shoulders, fingers run tracks through his scalp. Obito's breathing levels out as he starts to calm down.

"It's not fair!" He finally exclaims, she smiles softly into his hair.

"It rarely is little brother." Hibiki tells him watching him closely, the pre-teen just shakes his head.

"How can you be so calm? You have to know what they say, you know everything." His body shakes in anger, she can see it all over his face boring deep in his eyes. It's not a look she likes for him. She hates to see him so upset. Especially over something like this.

"Their words only hurt me if I let them Obito-kun, don't let them hurt you. You are stronger than them." She presses a kiss to his crown. Obito balls his fist until knuckles turn white. Hibiki doesn't try to stop him.

"They make you sound like some sort of monster, like your the enemy, it's wrong." He turns his head looking at her then. She can see the brimming of tears in his eyes she knows he'll pass off as dust and her heart feels heavy in her chest. There are no words she can give him here, nothing she can say to change his mind. To change the fact. He's right, and they both know it.

Everything the Uchiha were doing, what they were saying about her, how they handled the situation. All of it was wrong.

"Oh Obito, I'm sorry." She pulls him to her then, despite his slight protest. Hibiki wraps both of her arms around his only slightly smaller frame. Obito buries his face in her shoulder. There is nothing more she can say.

Hibiki holds her brother while his frustrations get the best of him. She holds him close, vowing to never let go. Reminding herself that there is reason for everything and she had to keep going. That reason was shaking in her arms over the injustice he'd witnessed, over things far out of reach and beyond his control.

 **XOXOX**

 **First of all thank you guys so much for all your kind reviews from the last chapter! Your comments help inspire me to keep writing. I am so glad that you all are enjoying my story. Thank you!**

 **I'll keep it short here, apologies for the length of the chapter I didn't want to cram too much here. Other than that I really don't have to much to say on the chapter itself except if you have any questions feel free to message me and ask. Most things will eventually explain themselves if your up to waiting. But I'll answer most things via PM if I feel it doesn't give to much away in terms of where the plot is going. So yeah.**

 **Thanks again for reading! Please let me know what you think.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	24. Chapter 24

" _Together, they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction."_ _ **~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief**_

 **.24**

There is only one thought that crosses her mind. Once singular thought as she stares at the stirred up dust. Why had she agreed to this? Sure it was a good chance for her kids to get experience fighting higher ranking shinobi, older more skilled ninja but why had she gone along so easily. Hibiki still hadn't forgotten Minato's dirty trick from the months before, even if the results had been worth it she hadn't forgotten the blonds underhanded play.

She ran a manicured hand over her face shaking her head while doing so. Kami, this had been a bad idea. Now they were going to have to come replace trees. This was why she avoided heavily forested training fields. "Well I can't say that wasn't expected, you should be proud of them Hibiki it's obvious their talented." Minato comments from her right his tone contemplative, one hand stroking his chin in thought.

"Honestly I'm just surprise your two boys managed to stop bickering for five minutes to fight together. New development?" She finally responds with a tilt of her head and a curious tone. He nods.

"Oh yeah, Kakashi is up for promotion but because of his age he needs Sakumo's sign off." Hibiki takes the piece of new information and files it away while biting her lip. Thinking warily that this was partly her fault, Kakashi would be a jonin by now if it weren't for her meddling with Sakumo's mission. But she was sure if given the choice Kakashi would chose his father being alive over a Jounin promotion. She knew what her choice would have been.

"I take it he gave Kakashi some sort of ultimatum?" Minato hums in agreement.

"Kakashi has to prove he can be a humble leader." Hibiki snorts, she had the feeling that that was the watered down version. Sakumo wasn't known to sugarcoat his words. She could remember her own goals set by the man, they weren't always tactfully given.

"What do you think?" She asks, it was good to be mindful of her fellows feelings when he came to his students. Minato and her had similar views when it came to child soldiers. But he could always very well feel like the man was stepping on his toes when it came to team 7.

Minato rubs the back of his head while his eyes focus on the loud commotion of the six children in the distance. "Honestly I agree with Sakumo. Kakashi needs to be able to get along with his teammates. Jonins have to lead missions and if he can't get along with his own teammates well.." He trailed off, Hibiki shook her head.

"Arrogance kills." She can't help but to feel a sense of deja vu as she says this. They grow quiet after that turning their full attention back to the sparring match further down the training ground. Minato's team was winning, as both jonin suspected. Team 7 was older, and higher ranked than her own team so it wasn't surprising in the slightest.

"So how are things with you and Inoichi?" Hibiki did reach over to punch him in the shoulder, she could hear the smirk in his tone. A wicked grin spreads over her face then, an idea about how to get him back.

"We have lots of sex." She says in complete deadpan, eyes twinkling in satisfaction as Minato sputters. Obviously he hadn't been expecting that reaction from her.

Hibiki always liked exceeding the expectations of her friends. Their responses tended to be hilarious when she did. Besides it wasn't like her statement wasn't true, and it would be funny to hear from Inoichi how Minato acted the next time all the boys went out for drinks.

Another explosion in the distance finally warranted their attention, interrupting the semi awkward silence that had befallen. Not that she was at all sorry about it. They would need to check that out. The last thing either of them wanted was to have to spend the next day cleaning up the entire training ground.

 _x_

"What did you say to Minato? He could barely look at me." Hibiki looks up from her stack of files, flashing him a charming innocent smile.

"I'm appalled Ino, why do you think it's my fault?" Her tone on the other hand is anything but innocent taking on a mischievous air to it. Inoichi sighs at her obvious to her game. She just keeps up the smile.

"He asked about us." Is all she says, which only causes the Yamanaka to shake his head. Inoichi knew her well, and he had a good idea about how she would have answered that particular question.

"You told him we have lots of sex didn't you." It's not a question and she just nods grinning like a madman. This woman. All he can do is sigh as he joins her on the couch, why she'd brought her work home he couldn't be sure but at least they were spending time together outside of the office for once.

"It's not a lie." Sometimes he really couldn't handle her eccentrics.

"Why?" She shrugs her shoulders.

"Because Minato is nosy." He shakes his head at her reasoning. As it really didn't surprise him. She would do something like that just to make a point. Besides Minato was nosy.

She leans into his side after pulling out another file from the stack carefully opening it to go over the continents. He glossed over the pages with her, but soon determined that he in fact didn't want to do that. Not that it was anything secure, if it had been above his own clearance level it wouldn't have left her office. No Inoichi rather not read potential missions over her shoulder. That was not his idea of fun.

"The apartment could be on fire and you wouldn't even notice." He states after a moment. Hibiki pauses in her reading to look up at him. Inoichi is enthralled momentarily by the depths of her eyes, by long thick eyelashes blinking quizzically, unexplainable sadness buried deep within a blue gray sea.

"I'm sorry." She sounds unsure as if she's not sure why she's apologizing , Inoichi shakes his head. But she continues. "I'm looking for a specific mission to come in." Hibiki tells him. Her tone calculated like she's given the admittance a lot of thought. He raises his brow.

"What sort of mission?" Inoichi questions slowly, because he's not sure if he really wants to know. When Hibiki said she was keeping an eye out for something specific a lot of times it could be something not meant to be shared or seen. There were a lot of scenarios that were her eyes only, it had been this way since Kisomi.

"The war ending kind. It's going to be sabotaged based three-man team request. My birds tell me the capital grows tired of our stalemate with Iwa and Kumo." She leans forward placing the file on the stack running a hand through her scalp. Inoichi can see the stress pouring out of her, there is a wariness in her posture. He runs a hand up her spine she relaxes into his touch if only for a moment.

"That's a good thing right? It's what we want, for the war to be over." She sighs. Glancing at him over her shoulder.

"A war we never wanted or asked for. A war asked of us, a war I gave a part of my soul to. This war has taken things from me that I can never get back no matter it's end." He couldn't deny her that. Inoichi had seen first hand the price she'd paid to keep their sensei living. Inoichi leans forward he wraps an arm around her shoulder pulling her close to him.

"Perhaps an ending is for the best." There wasn't anything she could say to that. Hibiki wanted the war to be over more than anyone else, she didn't want it to continue any longer than necessary. Everything was changing.

Nothing was certain anymore. Hibiki didn't like it. Not in the slightest it made her feel uneasy. For the first time in a long time she was actually afraid of the things to come. What if her efforts hadn't been enough? What if everything she did was all for nought? All her hard work in vain. It wouldn't be something she could handle.

Or the ever worse case scenario, what if everything she'd done only made things worse? It was a harrowing reality one that could hurt so much worse.

It was time to end this. She wouldn't be dealing with anymore uncertainty. The war had started on her terms, and it was about to find its apparent end on them as well. This wasn't a game she wanted to play any longer.

"Hibiki." Inoichi's concerned tone draws her from her thoughts. She offers him the best reassuring smile she gave give. It's not the slightest bit convincing, he's not fooled.

"Let's take a walk, I think some fresh air is needed." For what feels like the hundredth time that night he sighs but complies with her wishes. Fresh air sounded like a good idea.

 _x_

Hibiki slips in through the window, as per her usual quirks. The Sandaime doesn't look all that surprised to see her. Regardless if they had not a meeting scheduled for another few days and he wasn't aware of any pressing matters she might have for him. Although the later could change at the drop of a hat and he wasn't going to hold his breath. Instead of speaking immediately or even handing over the file in her hands Hibiki takes a moment to access the room. Something she only did when what she wanted to say was for their ears only.

Hiruzen makes the appropriate gesture to dismiss the ANBU tasked to guard him. He trusted her enough not to take advantage of the fact. His eyes trained on her carefully watching her, she remained silent just waiting. The seconds tick by slowly until she's satisfied they are alone. It is only then does she hand over the file in hand, he accepts it with a raised brow. Not entirely sure what it was about to be.

"That is a detailed map of a scenario that has a ninety-two percent chance of happening if the war goes on for the predicted three more years. The civilian death estimation alone is enough for me to think it's time to end this Hiruzen." It's in that moment just glancing over the gathered information that he realizes something. This is not a meeting between a leader and his subordinate, no they were long past that point. He takes his time reading over what had been handed to him before giving her an answer.

Hibiki was a methodical, intelligent, genius, she'd clawed her way into the spot she was in now. She had single handedly started an entire war in their favor, survived numerous attempts on her life, she wasn't someone who he would ever underestimate. In the last two years alone the work she does for the village, the attention she paid to the war, was enough to warrant praise in it of itselves. He knows that her efforts have saved many lives they would have otherwise lost, they had the upper hand, they've had it since the beginning and it was all because of her.

So when she speaks, when she presents him facts that he cannot ignore the only thing he can do is listen. Especially when her plausible scenario gave an estimated look for what ten years down the road could look like. Hibiki never did anything without purpose, without reason or cause, for her to have gone this detailed with this than it was something she'd been thinking about for along time. He can't deny her that, once she decided something she put her entire being into to make it come together.

"You want me to step down." He does eventually speak, his tone level brow still raised, because alongside her extremely detailed prediction of what could happen was an even more detail plan to counteract it. She offers him a semi-apologetic smile.

"You are a great leader, a wise shinobi, but you are getting old and we both know it's time. Pick someone younger, someone less hardened by war and life. Train them to take over and then step into an advisory position." He'll give her this, her resolve was firm no matter how treasonist her words could have been considered. It was his choice not to take them that way.

"There are only two people I'd even consider replacing me, and we both know one of their answers." She doesn't even hide the contemp in her eyes at that. He chuckled softly. Hibiki would be a great Hokage, but she would never take it. No matter how many time he hinted.

"Your other option is a better choice, he's kind, charismatic, fair, a good leader. There's room for growth, but he's a genius so it won't be hard. I will gladly continue to serve the Yondaime as I have served you. To help anyway I can to make the transition easier, but it's time." Hiruzen fold his hands under his chin, he considers her for a moment. He should have been angry, should have been upset by her assumed arrogance but honestly the only thing he can feel is pride.

This was a shinobi of his village, this woman before him had bloom into a strong radiant flower, the will of fire raged vibrantly within her even if she didn't see it herself. He was proud. She could have just killed him, there were so many other ways she could have gone about this, murder, underhand scheming, dirty tricks and plays but instead she saw the problem and what it would become and then brought him a solution. Not one that he particularly liked but he could see the merit of it. Besides he would not repudiate the facts, he was getting older. There was no denying that.

Finally he smiles at her. "Realistically we can end the war within a year at most, there are just some matters that cannot be rushed. You understand I'm sure." She nods turning her eyes to the large window, he doesn't doubt that he still has her full attention.

"A year can work, no more than that by the years end we will have what we want from Iwa and Kumo. Unconditional surrender on their parts, and a treaty that states rather specifically the consequences of attempting to wage another war with us or any of our allied nations. Am I right to assume that?" She states taking a look back at him.

"Yes. On the matter of my retirement, I will need to think over that. I'm sure you will find that reasonable." Hibiki gives him a nod.

"I assumed you would need to, it's why I also made a plan for it in case you decided to remain Hokage for longer. There is one more thing we need to discuss and it's not in that file." He closes the file tucking it away for safekeeping giving her a curious look. Apparently she wasn't in any mood to pull punches today.

"What is it?" At his question she takes a deep breath, eyes deep and serious. She's given this a great deal of thought, weighed all the pros and cons, and decided.

"The Uchiha will plan a coup d'etat if the way in which the village sees them doesn't change. Not now, not while we are at war but at some point they will grow resentful. Their pride is always going to be their undoing, it's time to use that against them. You want them to stay, you want them as allies, because the alternative is so much worse." He actually looks surprised at then, that wasn't what he had expected her to say.

"Why? How have you come to this conclusion?" She reaches for her weapons pack then and carefully pulls out a very old and worn scroll. Hibiki hands it to him with care.

"My father had actually been the one to come to that conclusion, they had him killed because of it. So there must have been some truth to it. I'm giving this to you hoping that you'll do right by my father's memory, the last thing we need is another massacre on our shared hands." He takes the scroll from her unrolling it delicately.

Hiruzen remembered Uchiha Yukio fondly he had been a good man, he'd been the first arbiter the village had seen. Truly a man worthy of the title shinobi, willing to do whatever it took, whatever was necessary. Something he seemed to have passed to his daughter. His loss had been a real tragedy. Both of their losses had been.

"Very well. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Hibiki." He nodded his head and she took it for the dismissal it was disappearing silently. Leaving him alone to his thoughts and to ponder over everything she had just given him.

This was a lot to take in. He had much to consider.

 _x_

"You've been avoiding me again." Sakumo finds himself saying to the dark haired girl who had taken up residence in his kitchen early that morning. Kami only knew where she'd come from or what she'd been in or up too this early.

"You haven't tried to stop me." She points out lazily bringing a cup of what was probably green tea to her lips. Well Sakumo though she had a point.

"I take it you found what you were looking for?" He questions while taking a seat across from her. Kakashi was away on a mission with his team so it was just them for the moment. No need to fear anyone overhearing what they were more than likely about to discuss.

"I did. My father was in the process of unearthing a terrible truth within his clan, there were talks of a coup. He hadn't taken kindly to it, so in a moment of heated anger, blind loyalty to the village he threatened the head at the time. It got him killed, Uchiha Yukio's death wasn't just a simple casualty of war. But you already knew that didn't you sensei." She doesn't look upset like he suspected she would have, instead there is a sense of clarity in her eyes. Acceptance and clarity.

"They never wanted you to know. Moriko made me swear to her that I'd take it to my grave." Hibiki offers him a sad smile, she reaches across the table taking hold of his hands.

"I'm not mad sensei, I'm way past the point of anger and it's not your fault. I can't be mad that you were just keeping your word. I've accepted their deaths and it's time for me to move on. I handed all of my notes and my father's notes on the matter to the Sandaime. Something must be done to ensure that this never happens again." Sakumo stares at her for a long time taking in what she has said and he just shakes his head.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was her parents daughter. They would have been proud. Sakumo reared his head back and laughed. Well then, he couldn't wait to see how that played out.

"So now that you're not avoiding me, what's this I hear about you and Inoichi." He asks changing the subject, there was nothing more to say on the matter. She let go of his hands and stood. Smiling at his genuinely.

"Don't ask questions you already know the answers too sensei. We're happy." He offered her a smile leaning back in the chair watching as she decide to plunder through his pantry. As she often did, as her mother had done. Sakumo was half convinced that neither of them trusted him to eat proper food. Which was just rude, he was a grown man and a father he knew how to keep a healthy selection of food.

"Good, good. Honestly it's really about time, I swore Inoichi-kun would never tell you his feelings. Which was just so strange considering how obvious it was that you liked him back." Sakumo ducked then, dodging the what appeared to be a plastic bowl she threw his way. Catching it before it would hit the wall. For extra measure she flipped him off over her shoulder while pulling out ingredients to make breakfast. He shook his head, tsking at her.

"So rude to your old sensei. How is your genin team coming along?" He asks standing and then walking over to the coffee pot to start it up. It appeared she would be staying for food and they both needed coffee to survive. She gives an exasperated sigh at the mention of her team.

"They're so innocent, so trusting, I don't want to hurt them." He pats her shoulder while moving around her to grab a coffee filter.

"As long as you do your best by them then you won't." She gives him this look like she hardly believes him. He doesn't take it personally, all new Jounin senseis felt like that at some point. Sakumo surely had.

"What happens when my best isn't good enough? What if I make oversights, forget their limits, expect to much, and it causes them harm or it kills them. I can't handle anymore innocent blood on my hands." Sakumo takes one look at the unbridled lingering uncertainty in her eyes, the deep pain within in them and he put the coffee filters down wrapping his arms around her.

Hugs weren't something he did naturally, they weren't really his thing. But he could see that she needed one. Needed comfort. "You learn from it and do better." He whispers, because he understands that fear, he'd lived through that very scenario. Losing a student was hard, because no matter how they died you would always shoulder the blame.

Arrogance kills. It was always a hard lesson to learn.

 **XOXOX**

 **Hey you guys thanks for reading this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed it. This chapter was surprisingly easy to put together it sort of just came together nicely. A forewarning for the things to come, when I started this chapter my first thought was yeah I'm about to fuck cannon up. Cannon isn't about to be a thing, except just something Hibiki draws back to as a sounding board. This is taking a turn for majorly AU and I hope you guys are okay with that.**

 **Now I know a lot of you are curious about what I'm going to do with Ino. About the Uchiha thing and other things involving her existence in this story. This will be the only thing I'll say on the matter is that I have plans for her and she will exists. Everything else you'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Thank you again for reading! Please let me know your thoughts.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	25. Chapter 25

" _Empathy is really the opposite of spiritual meanness. It's the capacity to understand that every war is both won and lost. And that someone else's pain is as meaningful as your own."_ _**~Barbara Kingsolver**_

 **.25**

Hibiki did not make rash decisions. She didn't spew harmful words in the heat of the moment. Getting angry, letting that anger take control never ended well for anyone. Especially her. The teen liked to pride herself in her control, on the handle she had over her own emotions. Doing those sorts of things just wasn't something she could allow herself to do. It was a massive waste of time and energy.

She hated wasting time.

With that in mind, there comes a point when everyone has a moment of weakness and they reach their breaking point. Her's just happened to be eight months into her career as a jounin sensei. The reason for the sudden onslaught of harsh emotion and lose control was because someone was trying to meddle in her carefully woven webb. They were playing with things they did not understand and could not control.

There were moments when Hibiki really hated the elders of the Uchiha clan. Moments when she let that hate get the best of her, clouding her carefully constructed judgement. But she supposed now was as good as time as ever to teach them to mind their own damn business when it came to how she was teaching her students.

Her students who were no older than ten and had only been genin for eight months. She'd fought hard for her right to train them as she pleased and to take her time. By no means did she want some overzealous parent to stick their nose in her business and try to force her hand. That just wasn't going to happen.

Uchiha Kagami was going to find himself in a position he did not want to be in with her. He was going to find that while Shisui may have been his son, he had no say over how the boy was to be taught. Not anymore, not with what she had planned for him. The Sandaime had given her all the approval and permission she needed. Now it was just a matter of time.

She places a gentle hand on Shisui's shoulder as she pulls him close to her body. Eyes cool and level with the extremely irate elder before her. Deep within her being she could feel the bubbling rage building slowly ready to strike. Hibiki took a deep breath and tried to remind herself that slapping the man wouldn't end well for either of them.

"Kagami-sama you are interrupting my team's training session." She starts with a level tone eyes narrowed slightly, the man glowers at her.

"Your team! Ha! A laughable joke, the only reason you have a team is because we allowed it." His words are laced with venom and she sees him for the senile snake he is. Hibiki has no respect for those who let their arrogance consume them.

Instead of responding to him she bends down to the level of her student. "Get Kaori and Masato and go wait for me at Tactics. Ask for Inoichi when you arrive he'll give you something to work on until I get back." She whispers to him, Shisui gives an uncertain nod of his head. Following her orders even in the face of his scowling father. Hibiki was proud of him.

Kagami watches as his son turns his heel giving him a wary look and walks away. Hibiki stands dusting her hands on the hemline of her shorts glaring dagger at him. She takes another deep breath, and then counts to ten. Do not let him get the best of you. The reminder floods her system, and she takes a step forward.

"I think it's time you and I had a discussion." She tells him and then takes steps past him forcing the old man to follow. Hibiki would not be bullied, she would not leave herself open to verbal assault and hearsay. If Kagami wanted to continue to throw accusation at her then he could do so in the presence of a higher authority.

"Where are you going girl, we are not done here." She doesn't even spare him a glance over her shoulder just keeps her pace. There was nothing more she would say until she got to her destination.

This was ending now. She knew ultimately Kagami would never listen to her, but she was pretty sure he would listen to Fugaku. Hibiki wasn't above going to a higher authority. Even if it meant taking a trip to the Uchiha Police Headquarters.

Fugaku pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply. It was far too early for this. Why did she always go to such extremes to prove a point? He had dismissed the elder the disagreement which had brought them both here settled. At the end of the day they had no control over how she saw fit to teach her team, regardless of their Uchiha status or position in the clan. Those were the conditions agreed upon at the end of her trial, and the only way she would even agree to take them on. While he may not have liked it, he did in fact have to honor it.

Those were just the rules.

"Are you satisfied?" He finally asks his tone drawn out and tired, she merely raises a brow at him in return.

"Are you really asking me if I like going to such extreme lengths?" Her tone is incredulous as if she can't believe he has the nerve. Fugaku should have known better.

"Because I don't. I don't like having jump hoops at every turn. It's not what want to be doing, it's definitely not what I asked for. Honestly Fugaku I can't even believe you would suggest that." She raves, the last ounce of her control finally slips. Hibiki simply cannot take it any longer. He gaped at her, Fugaku hadn't expected expected that reaction.

With the exception of her attitude during the trial he's never seen her this livid. Hibiki didn't do unchecked emotion, it was one of those things that he'd always respected about her. She never let a situation or her own feelings get the best of her. Never let circumstances overwhelm her. Not like the kunoichi he knew.

He wasn't sure how to precede here. A riled up Hibiki was not something he had any experience in dealing with. This could escalate out of hand easily if he didn't handle the situation delicately. Fugaku had known for a long time and he could tell that right now she was a ticking time bomb, one false step on his part on any of their parts and she could explode. For some reason he couldn't shake the feeling that if the clan was responsible for the combustion then he wouldn't like the backlash. No one would.

He had the distinct feeling that their previous friendship aside that if he was responsible, than she would burn his kingdom down. Hibiki wasn't someone he ever wanted to make an enemy out of and right now it was beginning to look like what was happening. Fugaku needed to figure out how to fix this. He needed to figure it out fast. Time was running out.

"This is the only warning I'll give you Fugaku, if Kagami or anyone else tries to interrupt or force my hand again. You will not like what follows."

Before he could get a word in she flickered away, sealless and smokeless leaving him standing alone in his office wondering. Wondering what sort of storm was brewing in her eyes. He didn't want to find out. Fugaku ran a hand over his face, this had suddenly become exceedingly complicated.

…

The rage continued to blister under her skin, boiling in her blood until she just knew. Knew that returning to her students was going to take a lot longer than she originally suspected. She couldn't believe the audacity of Fugaku's statement.

Hibiki couldn't honestly believe how ridiculous the situation has become. It just made her so incredibly angry. Her anger is abruptly ended when a member of Anbu finds her and hands her a file. Anger is replaced by unease and worry. "Mission request from the Daimyo, Hokage demands it have your immediate attention." She nods slowly taking the file from him. The hawk masked man vanishes.

She felt bile building in her throat. This wasn't something she was going to like. This was going to wrench her entire plans. Hibiki took a breath, she was going to need to be alone. When she arrives back at T&I she sends her students home, thanks them for their obedience but sends them on there way. Their training was going to have to wait.

She had work to do. Hibiki headed into her office, sending charges into the privacy seals as she went.

There are so many times, so many instances when she looks at them. Truly looks at them that the only thing she can think is ' _When I look at you, all I see is death'_ or ' _I've seen you bleed out'._ It's morbid, horrible, she wished she didn't think like that. Wished that when she looked at her loved ones faces she didn't see them dying. But the time or wishing and dreaming were long over.

In all her days, she has gotten exceeding better at suppressing those thoughts. Letting them wash over her like a passing wave and fading echoes. Yet there were still those days when no matter how hard she tries. No matter how she tries to misdirect her thoughts it's pointless. When she looks at them all she can see are colorless and lifeless expressions in the place of lively looks and flushed cheeks.

The file between her fingers doesn't seem to help her efforts either. Hibiki slides down the wall of her office. Bracing her back against the cold surface. Her breath hitches in her throat. She had hoped, had hoped it wouldn't have come to this. This was exactly what she had been trying to prevent from happening.

A mission request from the Daimyo. He had decided what he wanted them to do next. She couldn't say she was surprised. The Daimyo was an arrogant man, and if he decided he was done then they best make it work for him. No matter that it was his pride, his arrogance that was the reason for this damn war in the first place.

Hibiki took a deep breath. Her eyes carefully scanned over the words, considering the options. There wasn't a lot she could do with this. This wasn't like how she fixed the war in the first place. The Daimyo had grown tired of their behind closed doors talks and quiet non-incriminating acts. He wanted the next part, the good parts, to be public. That idiotic man wanted the world to know that Konoha was the best damn shinobi village on the map and they belonged to him. They marched to the beat of his drum.

He was a megalomaniac fool. A fool who would see them all dead if it meant he looked better. The Daimyo didn't give a damn about them. Didn't give a damn that these orders made it where all she could see was a graveyard.

What was she going to do? Hibiki needed to come up with a solution, and fast. Because if not she would nailing the lid on their coffins herself. She felt like she was going to be sick.

Hastily she pushed herself off of the ground. Now was not the time to wallow. She could wallow later, once she was sure her actions wouldn't be the cause of her friends demise. There was work to do. Plans to be made. Hibiki had shit to get done, she kicked her office door it closed with a loud bang. The only reason anyone would dare interrupt her while the door was closed was if either the building was on fire or the village under attack.

She placed the file under her arm walking over to a dry erase board. Empty but covered in areas of old smudges and markings. A testament to the fact that she'd done this before. Saved lives, arranged wars, carefully spinning a web, pulling the strings, building and destroying until the board was set. The game matched in her favor. This was what she was good at, this was a game she could play in her sleep. All she needed was some time.

Time, that which had almost run out and she now no longer had any more to spare. Her petty squabble with the Uchiha clan was going to have to wait. She had no attention to spare on them at the moment. Right now she needed to focus on making sure her family lived. Everything else was going to have to wait, whether or not they liked it. In that moment she didn't give a damn.

 **XOXOX**

 **So… I know that this is a lot shorter than my usual chapters for Echo and I sincerely apologies. But I'll be honest it's intentional. For the sheer reasoning that I really didn't want to cram too much into this chapter as it marks the official segway into the Kanambi mission arc and the end of the Third war. The chapters to come are going to be either just as long as they have been or longer, if everything goes according to my plan a lot of big things are going to be happening in each chapter. Just a heads up.**

 **Now that that is out of the way. Oh my gosh guys thank you so much for your feedback on the last chapter(s). It means the absolute world to me that you are all liking this story so much! Thanks bunches!**

 **I hope that you like this chapter and that you continue letting me know your thoughts. Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Now I want to address something that's been brought to my attention. Hibiki will NEVER be Hokage. She knows the facts, knows that no matter how much Third thinks she could do it that it would never work. There is just to much darkness in her world, in her work for that. So I don't want anyone to think that she thinks she could be Hokage, Hibiki knows that it is not a possibility. That it never could be one. I also know that.**

 **Alright that is all I have to say in regards to this chapter and everything.**

 **Once again thank you so much for reading! I hope that I continue you to deliver words worthy of your time.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	26. Chapter 26

" _Wars and elections are both too big and too small to matter in the long run. The daily work — that goes on, it adds up_ _ **." ~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams**_

 **.26**

Objectively, she thinks, staring at the board full of calculations that assassination is the worst options of them all. Because she'd put the scenario in the formula, run through different possible out comes and none of them really pleased her. For as much as she disliked the man who was the current Daimyo, she knew him. Better than anyone, she knew exactly what type of man he was. A man like him was an easy political piece to manipulate. He had yet to determine his successor since he was still in his prime ruling years, she couldn't work with a piece she didn't know the specs of. She couldn't kill him. Not yet. Hibiki wasn't one to back herself in a corner, she'd leave the option open. For now.

There is a soft click from the sound of the opening door. It draws her attention from the board, from her thoughts on political assassination. She tilts her head questioningly at him. He should have gone home by now.

"You've been locked up in here and staring at the same spot for hours." Inochi states as he comes to stand next to her, taking a moment to look at her work as if he would actually understand it. For the record he can piece at least half of it together, mostly.

Wordlessly she offers him the same file that had ruined her day. The same file she'd been calculating and contemplating for hours. Inoichi raised his brow at her, this file has the seal of the Daimyo on it. No one but the Hokage should see this. He doesn't even question why she would have it, not when it being in her hands made perfect sense.

"This is a death sentence for whichever team is given these orders." He states after reading a bit of the requested. Hibiki chews at her lower lip, she knew that all to well. She knew what team would be picked too.

"It's a death sentence for the credibility of the village, of the Hokage, to every will of fire that still roars within these walls. If we do this, if we sign off on this then we are no better than Kiri, than Kumo or Iwa." Because this, this was senseless bloodshed. It was bloodshed for no other purposes than to determine just how big a head the Daimyo had. All this did was stroke that vile man's ego.

Hibiki hated him for what she was going to have to do next. Of what now had to be done. She wasn't sure her soul could handle anymore slug, the darkness buried within its depths was almost too much. How much more could she handle before breaking?

"Hibiki?" She doesn't startle at her name being spoken but they both know she hadn't been paying full attention. Wherever her thoughts had taken her was far from this room. NHer eyes meet his, he can see her uncertainty in them swimming in the shades of livid.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." Inoichi tries to hide the surprise that he feels from the admittance. In all of the time that he'd known her, never, not even once had she ever admitted defeat. The sentence that falls from her lips then, whispered quietly followed by the uncertainty in her eyes. Well it was an admittance of defeat if he'd ever heard one.

Even at her lowest point she knew the next steps to take. Knew what piece she would move next, what call to make. Hibiki never gave up. No matter how she personally felt about something. She always without fail pushed forward. To hear what sounded like giving up from her… Well it put just how bad she perceived the situation was into perspective for him.

"What are the options?" He asks, knowing that what she needed was to run them by another person before taking them to the Hokage. She'd always liked being thorough. Hibiki thrived on being a hundred percent certain on any decision she was making, she always wanted to give the best possible solution to any problem.

The woman was a perfectionist. So he knew without a doubt that in this one moment for her to be admitting defeat. He knew that it was killing her, mentally, physically. She felt her failure or the potential of her failure more deeply than any of them could ever comprehend.

"Right now, none that could work in the longevity of things. Not without disrupting the end of war plan that's already in place." Which he can tell by her tone is not something she wanted to do. Hibiki never liked it when something disrupted her plans. She'd always been particular like that.

"Does this disrupt those plans?" He questions waving the file at her before tossing it into a chair. Inoichi didn't really want to continue holding such a thing. Hibiki gives him this look that reads as completely unimpressed. As if he should know better than to think such a thing, as if he could see the big picture like she did.

"Those plans were made to prevent something like that from needing to happen." She tells him, he can hear the pride in her voice. Inoichi shakes his head. Hibiki always played for the long game, it was why she and Shikaku couldn't play more than one strategy game at a time. Their last round of shogi was at a current standstill.

"Fair enough, run me through worse case scenario then for both sides." She offered him a faint smile then. Hibiki appreciated what he was trying to do.

"Besides the loss credibility from doing this, and the obvious death sentence. This isn't a guaranteed win for us. We could do this, order this mission, and still lose. Which is obviously the worst possible case scenario. There are too many risk from that course, too many uncertain variables." She takes a breath, before taking a step away from him and closer to her logistics board. Hope isn't to see something she missed, if she raked through it enough times maybe something would change. Maybe she'd realize some new piece, or find some calculation error that once changed could fix this.

"On the other hand, if we don't do what the Daimyo wants then we could possibly lose a powerful pawn and ally. We need the Daimyo on our side, we don't need the case scenario that Kiri is currently in." It was no secret that the current Water Daimyo hated his own shinobi village. Which had a lot to do with Kiri's current financial problems and would have a lot to do with the proceedings and the horrific nickname the village would be given in the future. Although that last bit was only known by Hibiki. Also because of that villages standings with it's Daimyo, made them all the more open to manipulation from outside sources.

Sources like Uchiha Madara and his dark allies. Hibiki couldn't stand to even think about him, about what he would do to her brother is she failed. Those sort of thoughts made her sick to her very soul. She wouldn't allow him the chance to corrupt sweet innocent Obito. Even if it was the last thing she did, she would keep Madara and Zetsu alike far away from him.

"There isn't a way for me to spin this where we don't lose. Which makes deciding the next course of action all the more dangerous. Because ultimately the decisions is the Sandaime's and all I can do if offer my advisement." Even if she didn't agree with it. Hibiki looked back at Inoichi over her shoulder she offered him the best smile she could in that moment.

She took a step to him. "Thank you Ino, you helped me see that." Hibiki leaned up on her toes and pecked his cheek with a chaste kiss. Before he could even form a reply she'd vanished. Inoichi shook his head at the empty spot. Shrugging.

"Your welcome, I guess." At least she wasn't in the office anymore. Was all he could think as he walked out.

He wouldn't deny his curiousy over what she was going to do with all of this. The Yamanaka figured she'd tell him later at least. Inoichi decided to call it a day, he'd go back to her apartment and wait for her. She'd come home sooner or later.

…

She takes two detours. Avoids facing the problem. The first is to see Shikaku at the Nara compound. This was something she needed a second opinion on.

Shikaku stared at her her in utter disbelief. Which was unusual for him to be so open about his discomfort. Hibiki pushed the observation from her mind instead narrowing her eyes at him expressing silent orders with them. Demands for him to answer her question, to give her something. Other than his disbelief, that wasn't something she quite frankly needed at the moment.

For the record Hibiki had enough doubt of her own about this whole thing that she didn't need Shikaku's to top it. She just needed a defiant answer from him.

Did he think it could work? She thought it could, she'd run the solution through every scenario possible so she was almost sure it would; however even she needed to hear affirmation from another person from time to time. Who better to run something like this by than her favorite Nara. Shikaku was the most logical person in their generation surely he'd be able to see all the possibilities by doing this.

He runs a hand over his scared face, Hibiki watches him closely trying to pick apart his silent thoughts. "It's risky. Really risky, but I'm sure you already calculated for that." Shikaku mumbles finally looking at her straight on. She offers a small nod as her answer.

It was risky. But she could prepare for risky. The Nara sighs shaking his head. "You're insane, you know that right. No same person would even think of that." He tells her and she nods. Hibiki had never claimed to be a sane individual. Never claimed sanity.

Shikaku shakes his head. "It'd risky, but if it's done right. Then yeah it could work."

Or it could backfire horribly and that was a bridge she'd face when she got to it. After that she leaves an almost certain destination in her head. She takes her time

Hibiki didn't go straight to the Sandaime, she should have but she did not. When she finally made up her mind after a while of just half aimlessly walking. She didn't even head in the direction of the tower instead she took a detour, well another one. One she took often when she had heavy thoughts to contemplate. One that always without fail brought her here. Standing alone before the memorial stone at dusk.

The sun just setting on the horizon barely peeking out behind the trees. Orange and yellow dancing in the sky. Illuminating the stone from behind, a sight to behold. Truly mesmerizing.

She ran a single hand over the cool stone. Her mind heavy, thoughts clouded and conflicted. Hibiki innately did not agree with the decision she was about to make. It conflicted with everything that she was. But at the end of it all she would not deny herself this amount of selfishness. Saving Obito, saving all of them, it was the task she'd given herself all those years ago and she wasn't about to quit just because it was hard.

"I often wonder what you two would have thought about the person I've become. About the decision that I have made. I use to think that it would matter, that I would care." Hibiki tells the dead quietly. In her life she'd come to the stone to talk to them more than once. Contemplating her own mortality a time or so with the dead was a great motivator.

"But I realize now that it doesn't matter. It wouldn't have changed anything. I don't care. Because deep down the truth is, I'm not a good person and you both would have been so disappointed." And she couldn't even find it within herself to care. Hibiki isn't a good person. She knows that, she knows why, knows that her world is full of darkness she will never be able to escape. Darkness that will only continue to grow, darkness that will fester and eventually eat her alive. It's a consequence she has long since accepted and moved past.

"I'm not sure they would have agreed with that assessment." Hibiki doesn't look up at the sound of the new voice. She can't say she's surprised he'd come. Afterall she was supposed to report to him immediately once she'd made a decision. The Sandaime rarely let her miss their meetings. Then again she rarely disobeyed orders either.

Hibiki stays quiet, she lets them sit in the silence. She would not make the first move here. Not with him, not anymore. This game of theirs had long lost it's bravado, they were both in to deep for such nonsense. She would not try to buy herself more time with clever painted words, and shiny lies. There was no use for pretty diversions here. Time was up, her turn was over, it was his move.

She knew what her decision would be, and she knew neither of them were going to like it. "I think that perhaps the only reason they'd be disappointed would be that you did not see how much a good person you truly were." He tells her slowly coming to join her in front of the stone. Hiruzen places a hand on her shoulder forcing her attention. She narrows those deep knowing eyes at him.

"I'm not a good person." Her voice is petulant, disagreeable. She doesn't believe him. How could she? He'd been the one to force her hand. The Sandaime shakes his head.

"I don't like ultimatums." Her tone is strained. She is far from pleased. He chuckles darkly at her words. Hiruzen had no doubt to the truth of her statement. Hibiki had always hated being backed into a corner. Reminded of her place in all of this.

"I don't like being lied too Hibiki." At that she turns her full attention to him. Eyes narrowed and dark, in the fading light he can see a glint or red in them. She'd warned him once before.

Never again.

She was not a play thing nor would she allow herself to be used. Hibiki would not give him anymore opportunity to force her hand. They were way past the point of playing games.

"Not once have I ever lied to you Hokage-sama. A courtesy. I can't say has been returned." A truth he can not deny her. But it doesn't change his standing on the matter or the pieces on the board. He hums in response.

"Sometimes the best lies are the truth and we don't even recognize it is in front of us." Hiruzen was not a fool. He grew tired of people trying to treat him like one. She looks back at the stone.

"How many more names will you see added to this stone for a war you didn't even want?" Hibiki questions quietly. Closing her eyes, trying to desperately silence her raging thoughts. Hopelessly willing herself to be less bold. Knowing that it wouldn't change anything. Needing to say this, ask these questions.

"How much more innocent blood shed before enough is enough? Where is the line? How long until we cross it?" She continues, finally voicing her feelings to the only person she knows will understand them. They had the same blood on their hands. They'd started this war.

It was time to finish it.

He offers her a sad forlorn look, his eyes sympathetic and knowing. "I'm sorry but we both know the answer, surely you don't need me to tell you." She opens her eyes and shakes her head.

No she did not need him to remind her. They'd were so far over the line, she can't even see where it had been drawn.

"I've made my decision." Hibiki tells him with complete conviction. There was no turning back from this. She has to be a hundred and twenty percent certain. Now was not the time for lose ends and veritables. They couldn't afford anything but absolute certainty.

If she did this, is she allowed this to happen. There was no turning back. Nothing to fall back on, this was the last card to play. The only thing left to do. She'd never forgive either of them for forcing her hands like this.

"Good. Now, what are you going to do?" She turns and looks at him then. Really looking at him. Hibiki doesn't doubt for a single moment where Orochimaru got a portion of his cunningness from. Hiruzen was by no means a saint.

She smirks. "What I always do."

He chuckled again, it wasn't as dark as before. Hiruzen was satisfied by her reaction. She never let him down. Even in the face of an impossible situation. In spite of everything railing against her.

"Hm, and what may that be?" He questions for extra measure. Just to solidify the truth of the matter. Hibiki's smirk doesn't falter, not even for a moment. All previous uncertainty gone.

She wasn't about to let anymore of her loved ones die. Hibiki was selfish, she wouldn't bury any of her friends. Their lives meant something to her and she wasn't about to let them be wasted. Not on her watch. She'd come to her final decision.

"Fix it."

 **XOXOX**

 **I have been working on this chapter for months… I am so sorry. I'm a terrible person, I keep getting distracted with my other works and new projects, and just life. There is nothing I can say to really defend myself either other than I am sorry.**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for reading this chapter. Please let me know what you think and what you think might be coming. You guys' theories are fun to read.**

 **Thanks again!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	27. Chapter 27

"I think you've really got to wait and see how things play out. Sometimes a decision you might consider a regret or a failure in the present can turn out to be the catalyst for something extraordinary in the end. Some of life's wildest journeys begin with the wrong turn." **~Beau Taplin, The Wrong Turn**

 **.27**

Designation Echo sat perched in the branch above, the animaless white mask secured over her face. The only markings on the hard porcelain was a singular swill coming out of the right eye hole illuminating the glowing red from behind the shaded lenses. No village indication on the entire piece. Creating an unreadable presence, untraceable. She took a moment more to prepare herself. To her left was another officer concealed by a bird mask she was sure was meant to be a Crow.

Her partner for the course ahead. Echo finally lifted her hand, the sign to move ahead singled through her gloved fingers. A single nod before Crow went ahead flickering silently out of sight. Even in the dark of night with only the light of the moon they still needed to take extra caution. Even the slight move out of place, could set this on the wrong path. She flickered after them.

Now or never.

The cross over into enemy territory is easy to make for two people completely undetected. What would be the real kicker would be when they had to return. If they returned. Their mission was dangerous, could cause both of their deaths easily. It was all they could do to keep the upper hand. That was the price to end the war, it was a price they both had to be ready and willing to pay if the need arise.

Their lives for the lives of thousands. It seemed a fair trade.

Echo had no intention to die today or any time soon for the matter and she doubted that Crow did either. They would succeed. If all else failed they still had the bridge as back up. She did hope it wouldn't come to that. To many innocent would suffer as a result. All Echo wanted was to end this war on the best terms for everyone involved, while saving as many lives as she could.

The terms written out for Iwa's surrender signed by the Sandaime were secured to her person. Terms they'd decided without their Daimyo and an agreement made to do so. All to preserve the Will of Fire. The document also entailed what was to come for the Village Hidden in Stone if they refused the terms.

Surrender or die. That was all that was left for them. Konohagakure would play games with them no longer. Echo knew that the Tsuchikage was a stubborn man, but surely he would see to reason. She had it on sound knowledge that while stubborn the man was also a compassionate man who indeed cared deeply for his people.

He would think twice before turning down such a nice treaty, especially with the carnage it promised if it refused. Echo was almost proud of herself for the plan she'd created but she knew better than to let her own pride get in the way of the current objective. If he didn't agree herself and Crow had to get out of dodge as quickly as they both could if not then they were dead.

The Sandaime had given them just at two weeks to complete the mission and come back with a signed treaty or he would proceed with the plan. Echo and Crow had to finish this quickly if they didn't want to be caught in the crossfire.

Crow came to sudden stop, halting the forward procession. Echo made sure not to run into there still form. Below them was the first Iwa camp, they would need to get past it as their destination was the village itself. Her partner looked to her for their next move and she shook her head giving the signal to go around.

Even if they didn't have time for such a detore it was a better shot for completing their mission than getting caught in unnecessary fighting. They could do it but for two infiltration specialist it wouldn't be particularly pleasant. She'd leave the fighting the assault team they left at the border. To the powerhouse shinobi like the prospect Namikaze and his teacher.

"We're here." Crow atones quietly when they come to their final stop. She nods purposely nicking her exposed thumb on the sharp edge of armor.

Echo squats down to the stone ground beneath them uttering the words for summoning. With a small puff of smoke reveals a medium sized mountain lion, the lion gives one look to her masked mistress before nodding in understanding.

"Now we wait."

…

Inoichi sat in his office, he tried not to think about her. Tried not to worry about her well being. But he'll be honest it was really working. She was out there doing something incredibly risky in the midst of a war torn country. He didn't want to doubt her capabilities, and he didn't doubt the capabilities of their sensei. Everything that man knew about infiltration, about recon and intelligence he'd passed to them both, and he'd taken his time with her.

It was why they were both as high up on the chain as they were. Because when the White Fang was your teacher then it was a given you knew what you were doing. Then they'd both gone and specializes in the field. Inoichi became the youngest head of T&I, and Hibiki, she was a whole other type of genius.

The only one of her specialty, arbiter, a title that came with the highest intelligence clearance level imaginable. He didn't know how she did it. Her brain had to retain so much information and she always kept it sorted neatly. To assume every outcome as a possible reaction. Like a spider who knew every aspect of the web they'd created.

"You're going to give yourself gray hairs." Inoichi looked up from the records he was suppose to be reviewing to glare at the older man.

Speaking of sensei. Sakumo just grinned at him but it didn't quite reach his eyes. No neither of them could be happy under the circumstances. There was a really good chance that when they'd said goodbye to her before she left for her mission it be the last time either of them would see her again. Inoichi tried his hardest not to think about.

"Lunch?" The older man continues despite the glare he's being given. Inoichi rolls his eyes but nods. Lunch could prove to be a nice distraction.

"You're paying." Inoichi tells him as he stands which causes Sakumo to shake his head.

Figures.

…

When they were within the walls of Iwagakure it was time, Echo pulled her hair out of the bun and slipped the mask off her face. Which only served to reveal her distinctive gray/blue eyes since she'd taken a card out of her sensei's deck and wore a nose mouth mask. She tucked the ANBU mask into her pouch leaving the armor in place. The Sandaime regardless of how intimidating it would be for just two ANBU operatives to show up in the Tsuchikage tower would be thought it would be a lot more appealing if it was a single shinobi with a guard.

Echo would leave her armor on until they were within the tower walls only then would she change back into her own gear. Crow eyed her carefully, their body language only slightly uncertain. She knew because she'd been trained to read it by someone who used to wear a similar mask. A gentle pat to their arm plate before they were both off again.

With all forces redirected to the fields it meant only a few shinobi where left behind to guard the village. Iwa believed that their mountain would protect them from invaders, and they were mostly right. Echo and Crow weren't here as invaders that wasn't their objective.

She placed them both under genjutsu for the remainder of their mission, or up until she made the next move. Crow she would continue to conceal until the right time. Echo brought a finger to her lips in a shushing motion as they entered the building. Security might not be as tight as their own would have been but it didn't hurt to be too careful.

Her summon had been the one to determine the level of security through the mountain and in the village itself and Echo trusted the lion with her life. She always had, her summons always had her back. The main two had not been pleased when she told them what she was going to do, told them that she couldn't use them here.

Two fully grown lions would be an immediate give away to her identity if either of them were spotted. There was only one kunoichi mad enough to have a contract with the Lion clan. Iwagakure was very familiar with that summoner, having had multiple run ins with her on and off the battlefield.

Fair to say the least Iwa had a deep begrudging respect for the woman. Another reason why the Sandaime had insisted she had to do this without the mask. If she had come all this way with documents from the Hokage than they might want to listen.

"Are you ready?" Crow ask through signs and Echo nods.

It takes only a second for the rest of her ANBU attire to come off before she's back in her own clothes. All black for the occasion but still her clothes, a long skirt with a high split up the side and cross bandage crop top that showed off the electric scars up her side and arm from her time captive.

Her heels made no sound as they continued sneaking around the corridor, it took a minute longer to find the right office. But like her sources had said it was empty at this time, the Tsuchikage should be in the middle in a wartime meeting with his advisor. Hibiki smirked beneath the partial face mask. She's wait a little longer before removing that piece.

Crow melted into the wall behind the desk in a typical fashion of ANBU as she made herself comfortable behind the desk. An intimidation factor she fully counted on. Her partner hadn't been quite the fan of her theatrics. Hibiki knew they'd work.

She sat behind the desk for about ten minutes before the doors of the dark office opened and in stepped the man she'd been waiting for. His personal guards are on her in a minute with kunai to her throat. Hibiki slowly raises her weapon free hands in mock surrender, she'd been expecting this.

"How did you get in here girl?" The Tsuchikage demands his brow raised, a look between cross and impressed in his eyes. No one should have been able to get into his office undetected.

"How or why? Maybe that's the question you should be asking Onoki-sama." He can hear the smirk in her voice, see the smugness in her eyes. Hands still held high in what could be a false surrender. Onoki couldn't shake the familiarity of the intruder. She tilts her face slightly to look at the guard holding the knife to her throat.

"I have no intention to attack you, or the Tsuchikage. However I would like to retrieve a very important document from my pouch for your leader." The old man watches as his men force this small woman to stand, her arms still raised. It's when she's standing does he noticed the strange scarring on her skin, suddenly it clicks where he recognized her from.

"Lower your weapons, this woman is not her to attack me, if that was her intention then we'd all be dead. Isn't that right Kano-san?" She nods and when the weapons pointed at her person are gone only then does she lower her own arms. Hibiki pulls the half mask down to reveal the rest of her face.

"I'm afraid so Onoki-sama, or fortunate for you depending on how you look at it. For now I am simply a messenger. May I retrieve the document from my pouch?" He gives her a small nod, if she tried anything funny his men would just kill her where she stood. She carefully pulls a tied scroll from the pouch secured to her thigh and hands it over to the other guard.

"It's not a bomb, I have no intention of blowing myself up." She tells him and the man gives her a stiff look. Obviously not a joker. Hibiki could have pouted but she held it in.

"Hiruzen must be extremely brave to send a single shinobi into an enemy village. Or stupid." Onoki muses accepting the scroll as it's handed to him.

"Whatever this entails must be important if he would go to such lengths." Her expression doesn't change, she gives nothing away. She does step out from behind his desk which means he can finally see her whole person.

Hibiki watches for his own reaction to the proposal through veiled eyes. She watched him carefully trying to find anything. It's clear when he gets to the part demanding Iwa's surrender because his brow shoots up and there is a dangerous curve to his lips. "This fool wants me to surrender!" He shouts at the she smiles and there isn't anything friendly about it.

"I'd suggest you keep reading Onoki-sama, before you make your choice." He looks at her, at the dark look that has taken over her eyes. At the lingering threat in her tone. For the first time since entering the office does he actually feel threatened.

He trust his guards to keep him safe, if she changes her stance at all in the next few seconds. His eyes return to the document in his hands, drifting across the next few paragraphs until he reaches the ultimatum. Suddenly this whole setup makes inherently more sense to him. She wasn't a simple messenger.

She was the catalyst, a harbinger of things to come.

 _If you do not accept these terms, if you refuse to surrender. You will be the cause of your own undoing. Iwagakure as we know it will cease to be. Starting with your beloved mountain range and ending with a field covered in the blood of your shinobi._

 _The shinobi standing before you has been given the authority to do what is necessary if you are to decline. Be wise old friend._

 _-H. Sarutobi, The Sandaime_

Her eyes suddenly flashed a daunting shade of ruby. Black pinwheels spinning on their orbs. The two guards are at her feet unconscious and a man in a porcelain mask is standing right behind her. How had he missed the presence of another?

"It's your choice, you can in the war here or will you force my hand? What is it going to be Onoki-sama?"

 **XOXOX**

 **Oh My Goodness! It's been so long since I've worked on this story, and I'm so excited to have my inspiration back for this as I sort of lost it for a while. Having to decide what route I was going to take with this fic and how far from cannon was I willing stray. Especially with what I was going to to particularly with this arc in general and how I'm going to deal with the whole Obito's impending death.. Be honest still on the fence about that one.**

 **Anyway I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this new chapter and I hope to hear from you all. Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think!**

 **I hope you all have a lovely day!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	28. Chapter 28

" _They say that war breads character. That grief bears determination to succeed. That loss is inevitable. They say that war is the only option. The only choice. That that is simply all there is. They're wrong. There are no determining results, nothing good that comes from war. There are no winners. The result of war is simply death. Nothing more, nothing less."_ _ **~Q, Thoughts on War**_

 _ **.28**_

"This is absurd. Hiruzen really is a fool, to believe that I would just agree to something like this. You can't possibly think you are capable of taking out my village alone girl." Hibiki raised her brow at him, eyes still lit with mangekyo. A smirk is beginning to form on her lips regardless that she was trying her damndest not to be so smug. She was more than capable and she wasn't alone.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've burned a village to the ground Onoki-sama. At the moment your shinobi to civilian ratio inside the village is ⅖ , now most of your forces are on the battle fields surrounding the village and on the border which means from a statistics point of view I could easily have the entirety of Iwagakure up in ruble before reinforcements arrived. If they arrived that is. Prior to our arrival in your lovely little home traps were laid in place to prevent such a nuisance as reinforcement, not to mention the full assault team waiting for the signal at the border and the rest of our party at Kannabi Bridge ready to blow the only route your village has left for supplies mile high.-" She took a breath. Grinning maniacally from ear to ear.

"-Now given we are just two people and taking your village from the inside should prove to be impossible it helps that explosives have been scattered all throughout the mountain range that protects this village from invaders and can be set to go off from a remote destination. That of course is only the beginning of the carnage I have prepared for you, your forces and your village if you refuse this very generous offer. Sign the surrender Onoki-sama it's the only way Iwagakure survives this war." Hibiki leans against his desk as if she owns it, clasps her hands together in front of her skirt. She appears unassuming, as if she hadn't just spelt out what sort of devastation was coming their way. As if she wasn't the most dangerous beast in the room.

Onoki stared at her for a long time, contemplating his options. He saw now why Hiruzen had picked this girl. He saw just what the big deal was with her, why the former head of his own Intelligence division had been obsessed with her before his death. She was a formidable foe one he couldn't afford to doubt the sincerity of her words.

There was something in her eyes, something dark. The darkness, the harrowed look of it is what forces him to really consider the seriousness to this all. She'd have no problem murdering thousands of innocent lives just to get what she wanted. Hell she'd just out right admitted to doing it before. It was at that moment he remembered why they should have never underestimated Konohagakure and her shinobi. Despite the pacifistic show they put on there was a fierce loyalty imbued in her people, and a monster waiting to strike.

"That bastard. He hasn't left me with any other choice has he." Onoki mumbles shaking his head. He apparently wasn't the only one who was willing to play dirty. That he wasn't the only one smart enough to know when it was needed.

"No Onoki-sama he really hasn't. Sign the surrender, call your men home and spare the loss of any more lives." The old man grunted at her, stalking forward and snatching a pen from his desk. That old snake hadn't given him any other choice. He signed the damn thing and handed the scroll back over to the woman.

She offered him a pleasant smile with a slight bow. "Thank you for seeing reason Onoki-sama. It was a pleasure." He shook his head grumbling.

"I'll give you five minutes to get the hell out of my village before I send hunters after you." Was all he said. Hibiki nodded, seemed fair.

"Farewell." Then without so much as a slight of hand or a single sign the woman and her shadow disappeared from the spot.

Now all that was left were two passed out guards and a Tsuchikage who now had to figure out how to break the news to his war council. He looked down at the desk a slight puff of smoke set off, when it cleared he saw the scroll or what was a copy of it. Onoki shook his head, he guessed that would work.

A sense of dread built in him. His council would not be pleased. Could he blame them when he wasn't pleased himself? Of course not. He ran a hand over his face running it down the length of his beard.

Well played Hiruzen. Well played.

…

"You lied back there." Echo tilts her head to examine Crow. They'd made it out of Iwa in a matter of minutes, and were now stealthily making their way home.

She shook her head. Unfortunately nothing she said had been a lie. It never really was, she had no reason to lie. The agent known as Echo and the woman behind that mask was many things, but she wasn't a liar. Of course she doesn't explain that to Crow. He could think what he wanted. It wouldn't matter anyway. They were entitled to their own opinion. Echo did not care what they thought.

"Let's just get back into home territory." She mumbles. Crow nods there is no more conversation or talking after that.

Silence consumed them as they went.

It took two and a half days of non-stop travel to arrive back in their village. Echo didn't slow her pace coming up on the gate, she flickered past the guards with little care leaving Crow behind to deal with them. She was to report straight to the Sandaime before anything else. He would eagerly be awaiting the results of her journey.

Hiruzen was happy to see her in one piece. "How was my old friend?" She shook her head as if perhaps she didn't understand that sentiment. If she didn't see how any of them were actually friends. Of course she would be right.

"As you would suspect I suppose. Here, the results from my mission." She handed the original scroll over to him. It was up to him to do the rest. Hibiki had not been joking when she told Onoki that she was simply the messenger, or the delivery girl as it would be now.

Semantics that she didn't care to debate.

The Sandaime smiled at her, a satisfied grin. He never doubted her capability. Never doubted that she could do this. Hiruzen knew she was capable of getting a simple surrender signed and if not then he knew she'd be able to make them wished they had.

It had been a brilliant idea on her part. Eliminating the need to destroy the bridge in the first place. A compromise that he could make the Daimyo see the value of. She really was a talented asset.

"Thank you Hibiki, you are dismissed. I expect a full report on your mission by the end of the week." He tells her not even bothering to open the scroll. Hiruzen knows what he'll see, knows it will be enough.

She bows. "Of course Sandaime-sama." Hibiki flickers away the exhaustion from her mission finally settling in her bones. All she wanted was to take a nice hot shower and then a nap.

For the first time in a long while Hibiki doesn't check in with her grandmother or little brother post mission, instead she headed straight to her apartment. The anxiety and stress she'd been feeling over this finally beginning to melt away. The exhaustion creeping into her veins, she'd sleep well tonight. She knew that she needed to take advantage of the feeling for the time and try to relax before something came up and ruined it.

One ten minute shower later Hibiki hit her bed hair still wet body slightly damp, she hadn't even bothered getting dressed beyond an oversized shirt. She buried her face in her pillow and it didn't take long before she was passed out. Exhaustion consumed her. Mental and physical alike.

It was the first time in almost ten years that she slept a full night.

…

Hibiki woke from her nap sitting up in bed stretching her tired limbs before forcing herself to leave the warmth and comfort. Her feet touched the soft carpeted floor and she stood yawning. It would probably be wise to go ahead and get ready for the day ahead of her. She had people who would be anxious to see her following the mission. While details weren't known it was common sense that it was dangerous.

Most of what she did ended up being so. These days it seemed, Hibiki would kill for a normal mundane mission. A nice D-rank with her brats, yeah that would be ideal. If only but she knew better. Hibiki sighed, she needed to get ready for the day.

There was still so much she had to do, that had to be done before the dust settled. As the dust would settle more problems would arise

She pulled the long curly locks over her shoulder as she stepped away from the bed, gentally braiding the length of her hair as she walks around the bedroom. Even if she'd only slept in the t-shirt and had bathed before had she still threw it at the dirty clothes hamper before opening the small closet. Hibiki pulled out a long black wrap skirt that cropped at mid calf level, she liked the freedom that wearing skirts gave and occasionally she actually liked working in them better than traditional kunoichi pants. A lavender long sleeved tight crop top was pulled over her head.

Hibiki took a look at her appearance in the mirror and nodded. This would do. She put her black heeled sandals on before leaving. Her first stop would be Atsuko's and then T&I to check in before heading out to find her genin team. In the month it had taken to prepare for her trip to Iwa she had sort of neglected them. Besides, she was reluctant to admit that she actually missed the little brats.

They'd been her students for almost a full year. Of course at that time they had grown on her. Hibiki shook her head she was starting to sound like sensei. Sentimental old man.

...

A whole month would pass before the official declaration from Iwa came, four long weeks until the announcement that after nearing three official years war was over. For Hibiki it had been going on much longer than that closer to six if she counted right. The woman of nineteen gave a relieved sigh. It was over.

Hibiki had been in her office reviewing a message from Ame when the news came. The door to her office went flying open and in rushed a smiling Inoichi. Sharing in her triumph. He walked right over to her practically pulled her out of her chair and just kissed her. "You did it!" He grinned.

Hibiki just smiled, it felt good. If she were being honest. It felt too good. But for once in her life she decided to just reveal in the moment.

Hold on to this feeling while she could. Because she really couldn't help but feel as if it wouldn't last. Nothing was certain. Everything was changing, nothing was the same. She'd done that and anything that followed would be all her fault.

Hibiki pushed her pessimism aside and just tried to enjoy the moment. To hold onto the good feeling.

Nothing was ever that simple.

 **XOXOX**

 **Short-ish chapter, but I can't really figure out what more needs to be added… So this is where I'll leave it. Obviously this is not the end there is still lots more to come. But I would like to give a word of warning, my updates are going to become even more erratic than they've been. I had a baby a couple of weeks ago and life is a little chaotic for me at the moment. I'm going to try my best to update semi-regularly but I'm not making any promises.**

 **So I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and that you continue to stick with story holds a very special place in my heart so I refuse to give it up, especially with everything that I have planned.**

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful day!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	29. Chapter 29

" _Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make - bombs, for instance, or strawberry shortcake - if you make even the tiniest mistake you can find yourself in terrible trouble. Making assumptions simply means believing things are a certain way with little or no evidence that shows you are correct, and you can see at once how this can lead to terrible trouble. For instance, one morning you might wake up and make the assumption that your bed was in the same place that it always was, even though you would have no real evidence that this was so. But when you got out of your bed, you might discover that it had floated out to sea, and now you would be in terrible trouble all because of the incorrect assumption that you'd made. You can see that it is better not to make too many assumptions, particularly in the morning."_ _ **~Lemony Snicket, The Austere Academy**_

 **.29**

Minato stared at her. Just blatantly staring, perhaps if he believed that she would do something to help him. She wouldn't for the record since she'd been the one to suggest him for candidacy in the first place. So he really was out of luck. Instead she raised one of her pale blue almost gray eyes at him tucking a wild curl behind her ear in the process.

"Are you going to answer the Sandaime? Or do you just plan to keep boring a hole through my head?" She sounded innocent enough sure but it was obviously she found this whole thing way to amusing.

Honestly Hibiki didn't know why he hadn't seen this coming. Minato used to want to become Hokage, she was certain that hadn't changed. So why was he stalling like this. It was just a simple answer. Yes or No. That's all he had to give. She wasn't sure way he was making such a fuss.

Minato turned to offer Hiruzen his apologies before answering the old man. "My apologies Sandaime-sama. I had not been expecting such a request." The old man smiled kindly ignoring the pointed look his arbiter through at him.

"Ah, well that is perhaps a good thing. Does one well to be humble enough never to expect anything." Hibiki had a hard time containing her snort and the pointed comment in her direction.

Screw humility. When you were right, you were right. No need to cover that up.

Minato scratched the back of his head, a nervous tick he'd had most of his life. "Uhh, thanks?" The dark haired woman rolled her eyes bounding on her feet impatiently in her spot. She was only here for this because of the Hokage candidate profiles she'd submitted and the ongoing plan in play. Hiruzen had decided to retire on his own, so her original plan was now back in motion.

Now they just needed to select his replacement.

It was really only Minato who was the viable most likely option the other few she had to consider for fairness weren't really interested in the hat. Which made getting the blond in office all the more easy for her. Perhaps it also helped that Minato was in fact Hiruzen's first pick even before the profiles had been made.

As it turned out all they were really waiting for was Minato to actually say yes. Hibiki rolled her eyes finally having enough with the stalling she pinned Minato with a look.

"We get it your super humbled by the offer, yadda yadda, now would you please just answer the question some of us have actual work we need to get back too." She teased him. Minato sputtered once more before he did in fact agree to become the next Hokage. Hibiki would admit she gave a rather relieved sigh once he did that. Everything seemed to still be working the way it needed too.

Afterwards once the Sandaime had dismissed them both Minato turned to look at her a question lingering in his bright blue eyes. She rolled her eyes at him again before tugging on his sleeve. "Let's get lunch, I'll tell you why I was in that meeting then. Yondaime-sama." She tagged on the end just to watch him almost faceplant, it was as funny as she imagined it would be.

Guess Minato could still be caught off guard.

Lunch ended being take-out that she brought back to her office, it would be easier to explain this way. Inoichi popped his head in briefly to check in with her she held up the take-out in indication that she in fact was eating and that no she did not need him mothering her. He smirked at her, offered a baffled Minato a greeting before ducking back out of the office.

Minato in the entire time he'd been friends with Hibiki he'd never stopped by Intelligence to see her. Meaning he'd never actually been in or seen her office. Considering he still wasn't sure what exactly she did for TI and couldn't even guess based on what he was looking at. Flow charts among flow charts pinned to the wall, a corkboard filled of files and pictures all pinned by thumbtacks with string some even connected to the other, a desk covered in what might have been case files or shinobi profiles. Yeah he was having a hard time trying to decipher this mass of organized chaos.

Instead of trying to figure it out on his own he turned questioning eyes towards Hibiki. She'd taken a bite of the rice so she looked a bit like a chipmunk for a second before swallowing. He doesn't voice that particular assessment but by the way she looks at him afterwards Minato is certain she could guess his train of thought.

She always seemed to know what they were thinking. Sometimes it was a little unnerving. Just how well she seemed to know them.

"So…" He trails off, still not sure. She offers him a faint semi-reassuring smile.

"I have the highest security clearance in Intelligence, probably the highest in the whole village right next to the Hokage if I'm honest, which I can tell you now because by the end of the year you will be the next Hokage. What I do I am currently the only person in the village capable of achieving." She begins no apparent sugar coating. Minato made another sweep of the office with that bit of information.

The pieces started to come together. The flow charts began to make a bit more sense, the things that seemed half finished only seemed that way because not all the data was there. His eyes landed back on her, this time she didn't smile didn't offer some witty comment instead she just continued with her previous train of thought.

"What I do isn't particularly pretty or nice. It's not for the faint of heart. What I do only serves one purpose and it's to give the village as much of a chance as it can. My job is sometimes downright dirty because in order to protect to ensure it has to be. I'm an arbiter Minato. Which possibly means nothing to you since there isn't any other out there in any village like me." And what she doesn't say that he reads almost instantly is that there is a reason she's the only one.

Minato was beginning to not like the direction that this was going in. He was not liking the picture it was starting to paint of his friend. Then Hibiki takes the deepest breath he's ever seen places her hand down on the desk and a secret compartment opens. She pulls out of a slim manila folder and silently hold it out to him. He hesitates, an old memory rises. For just a moment he remembers what could have been a warning.

 _Ask her what happened to Kisomi._

And then suddenly everything made sense. Minato didn't need to take the folder to know what it said. He didn't want to read it. The whole idea disgusted him. Sure he could logically understand the reasoning, the why, but morally…

Thousands of innocent people...

Into the silence he spoke, quietly but harsh, like he didn't want anyone else to hear the echo of her sins. As if he hated speaking them himself. Minato leveled her gaze. "You started the war." It's a heavy accusation and all she does in the face of it is smile sadly.

"Yes. I started the war." She breathes the word to life as if it was the heaviest burden to carry. He was not sure how he felt about that.

"Why?" Minato mutters, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer. It was a loaded question too one with many possibilities and he wasn't certain he wanted to know any of them. She sighs withdrawing the folder once it's apparent he won't take it, it gets carefully tucked back in the secret spot and sealed.

"Because it was the only way to ensure we had the upper hand." What she doesn't say is that it was the only way to be certain they all had a fighting chance at surviving. Hibiki was a selfish woman who loved her friends and family above all else. She wasn't about to see any of them die senselessly if she could have prevented it.

"Why are you telling me this? Why now?" He can't help but to ask.

"Everything that I've done has been sanctioned by the Sandaime, every mission, every profile, every action has ultimately been made by the Hokage. As the Yondaime you may have to make similar calls in the future to protect the village and the ones you love. Despite how morally charcoal some of those decisions may be, how damning they are. Are you sure it's something your up too?" This was what it boiled down to, getting your hands dirty for the sake of the village. For the sake of those you loved.

It wasn't always pretty, it wasn't always kind or nice. She needed to make sure Minato understood that. He'd always been a much better person than she ever was. Hibiki watched him closely. He drew in a breath, understanding snaking its way across his face. There was more to this still. Minato let the breath out leveling with Hibiki one last time, he understood.

"You may have started the war by staining your hands, but you made sure to end it before letting someone else do the same. What you do may not be all nice and yes it benefits the village but what really matters is that you still care about the people involved. So it's not all bad. Isn't that right?" She gave him a rather pleased grin.

"Don't answer a question with a question Minato." Hibiki states, he can practically hear how satisfied she is by his response. Minato nods his head.

"You know that I will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of this village and the ones that I love." He told her. Hibiki clapped her hands together.

"Brilliant. Now let's eat I'm starved and I need to go harass my genin." He accepts the take-out that she hands him to, somehow it's still warm. Minato watches as she takes another bite before stuffing rice into his own mouth.

Still a little apprehensive of the information he learned about her. It would take him a while before he could look at her and not think about what she'd told him. He'd get over it, the innocent people she'd killed for the village bothered him, but he'd work through it. Orders were orders and despite them she was still his friend.

Minato knew deep in his heart that in the future he wanted them to do better. He wouldn't want her to do that again. As Hokage he could make the system better, to prevent more innocents from dying.

She offered him a smile as he left before reminding him to keep what he'd learned to himself and that she was proud to be able to serve him as the Yondaime. Minato did not sputter when she called him that. This time.

…

She slipped in through the window. Waited patiently to be acknowledged before giving her report. Hiruzen looked up from his work he made a motion for her to go ahead, and as per her usual quirk she made them both some tea while she talked.

"He accepted it, but I know the idea doesn't please him. Minato seemed rather uneasy about it. He'll still make a great Hokage despite it and he'll have me to help him every step of the way." Hibiki informs him while handing him a small cup of tea. He takes a sip before offering his own insight.

"I figured as much. Perhaps the future Yondaime will show us a better way." His optimism is refreshing. The two of them had been rather pessimistic the last few months. Like grumpy old people or something. Hibiki smiled into her cup.

That sounded nice.

 **XOXOX**

 **So I tried my very best to capture the essence of Minato in this chapter. But writing him is sooooo hard, because the little we get of him is hard to really pin his character. If you've read garden of eden than you know how I feel about the black and white scale when character writing, if you haven't the summary of my feelings towards it is that no one and I mean no one is entirely good or evil. Which means for me that no character is just one thing, they have pieces of both sides, because real people are usually made up of the two and that mixes and becomes gray. Now sure some people lean towards more to one side of the spectrum but no one is all good or all bad. The hard part is deciphering how far someone falls in either direction. Hence the trouble I have writing Minato here.**

 **I don't know how good he is, because the very little we see of him only highlights his positive good side that you don't have negative reactions to draw upon. So I hope I wrote him okay here, I did my best.**

 **Thank you all for reading and reviewing! It means everything to me!**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful day!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


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